{"id":27420,"date":"2023-11-22T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T10:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/?p=27420"},"modified":"2023-11-23T10:07:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-23T08:07:00","slug":"snake-charmers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/2023\/11\/22\/snake-charmers\/","title":{"rendered":"Snake charmers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Twenty years ago, in the Everglades at night, Brandon Rahe used to see dozens of opossums, raccoons, and marsh rabbits. But an explosion in the population of invasive snake species – most notably the Burmese Python – has resulted in significant ecological damage to the fauna of Florida.<\/p>\n

Today, you\u2019re lucky if you even see a raccoon;<\/i>\u00a0He says.<\/p>\n

Adult Pythons are not subject to serious threat from predators: Birds might have a go at a snake hatchling, and an alligator or wild pig might tangle with them, but once a Python is one year old, it\u2019s large enough to kill them,<\/i>\u00a0he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There may be as many as half a million Pythons in the Everglades. Native snakes competing for the same food and the same habitat, lose out. Brandon is one of about 100 individuals contracted by Florida government agencies to eliminate pythons and seek out active nests.<\/p>\n

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Van life, work and play<\/b><\/h4>\n

Brandon\u2019s work revolves around his van and a Victron Energy power system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The van is Brandon\u2019s overnight Python-hunting rig, equipped with light bars on the sides and up to four spotlights up front, all of which are wired to an eight-way switch panel. There\u2019s a nearby campground where Brandon can connect to AC power and run the Air-Con all night. His van is equipped with a refrigerator, too:<\/p>\n

I love having refrigeration on board at all times, being able to grab a cold drink or a cheese stick. Florida is very hot in the summer. When I’m mobile and go to the grocery store I can put my cold items in the fridge and continue to run errands and not have to race home.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div><\/a>The power system – which has recently been updated – includes:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n