Latest news with #ChrisDutton
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
UF researchers deploy robotic rabbits across South Florida to fight Burmese python explosion
Scattered in python hot spots among the cypress and sawgrass of South Florida is the state's newest weapon in its arsenal to battle the invasive serpent, a mechanical lure meant to entice the apex predator to its ultimate demise. Just don't call it the Energizer bunny. Researchers at the University of Florida have outfitted 40 furry toy rabbits with motors and tiny heaters that work together to mimic the movements and body temperature of a marsh rabbit — a favorite python meal. They spin. They shake. They move randomly, and their creation is based on more than a decade of scientific review that began with a 2012 study that transported rabbits into Everglades National Park to see if, and how quickly, they would become python prey. 'The rabbits didn't fare well,' said Robert McCleery, a UF professor of wildlife ecology and conservation who is leading the robot bunny study that launched this summer. Subsequent studies revealed that pythons are drawn to live rabbits in pens with an average python attraction rate of about one python per week. But having multiple live rabbits in multiple pens spread across a formidable landscape is cumbersome and requires too much manpower to care for them. So, why not robot bunnies? 'We want to capture all of the processes that an actual rabbit would give off,' McCleery said. 'But I'm an ecologist. I'm not someone who sits around making robots.' Instead, colleague Chris Dutton, also a UF ecology professor but more mechanically adept, pulled the stuffing out of a toy rabbit and replaced it with 30 electronic components that are solar-powered and controlled remotely so that researchers can turn them on and off at specific times. The rabbits were placed in different areas of South Florida in July 2025 for a test phase that includes a camera programmed to recognize python movement and alert researchers when one nears the rabbit pen. One of the biggest challenges was waterproofing the bunnies so that the correct temperature could still be radiated. Python challenge: Why state recommends not eating Florida pythons McCleery was reluctant to give specifics on where the rabbit pens are located. 'I don't want people hunting down my robo-bunnies,' he said. Version 2.0 of the study will add bunny scent to the stuffed rabbits if motion and heat aren't enough to fool the snakes. State efforts to mitigate python proliferation have included a myriad of efforts with varying degrees of success. Renowned snake hunters from the Irula tribe in India were brought in to hunt and share their skills. There have been tests using near-infrared cameras for python detection, special traps designed, and pythons are tracked by the DNA they shed in water, with radio telemetry, and with dogs. Also, the annual Florida Python Challenge has gained legendary status, attracting hundreds of hunters each year vying for the $10,000 grand prize. This year's challenge runs July 11 through July 20. As of the first day of the challenge, there were 778 registered participants, from 29 states and Canada. But possibly the highest profile python elimination program is the 100 bounty hunters who work for the South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The hunters have removed an estimated 15,800 snakes since 2019 and were called the 'most effective management strategy in the history of the issue' by district invasive animal biologist Mike Kirkland. Kirkland oversees the district's hunters. He gave a presentation July 7 to the Big Cypress Basin Board with updates on python removal that included McCleery's robo-bunny experiment, which the district is paying for. 'It's projects like (McCleery's) that can be used in areas of important ecological significance where we can entice the pythons to come out of their hiding places and come to us,' Kirkland said at the board meeting. 'It could be a bit of a game changer.' The Burmese python invasion started with releases — intentional or not — that allowed them to gain a foothold in Everglades National Park by the mid-1980s, according to the 2021 Florida Python Control plan. By 2000, multiple generations of pythons were living in the park, which is noted in a more than 100-page 2023 report that summarized decades of python research. Pythons have migrated north from the park, with some evidence suggesting they may be able to survive as far north as Georgia if temperatures continue to warm and more pythons learn to burrow during cold snaps. More: Snake hunters catch 95% of pythons they see. Help sought to kill the ones that are hiding In Palm Beach County, 69 pythons have been captured since 2006, according to the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System, or EDDMapS. In addition, four have been found dead, and 24 sightings have been reported. Big Cypress Basin board member Michelle McLeod called McCleery's project a 'genius idea' that eliminates the extra work it would take to manage live rabbits. McCleery said he's pleased that the water management district and FWC, which has paid for previous studies, are willing to experiment. 'Our partners have allowed us to trial these things that may sound a little crazy,' McCleery said. 'Working in the Everglades for 10 years, you get tired of documenting the problem. You want to address it.' McCleery said researchers did not name the robot rabbits, although he did bring one home that needed repair. His son named it 'Bunbun.' Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@ Help support our local journalism, subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Python challenge: Robot bunny new weapon to fight invasive in Florida
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I'm gay and engaged to a man - now I want to have sex with women
An engaged gay man is set to push his sexual boundaries as he experiments having sex with a woman before marrying his fiancé. Couple Simon Cox and Chris Dutton, from London, have appeared on the latest series of the racy Channel 4 show Open House: The Great Sex Experiment - which sees monogamous couples try and open up their relationship. As he was introduced to the audience in last Friday's episode of the show, Simon revealed he wanted to 'explore with women' when speaking to expert Effy Blue, however he is worried about the effect it could have on his relationship. Simon explained: 'I don't want to end my relationship with Chris to explore with women, it feels like now is a time in my life where I want to explore. 'Since I came out as gay, I have put myself in a box and only really allowed myself to find men attractive, it's hard to explain but it's so much pressure that you are dealing with internally every day of your life and it sucks. 'I haven't entertained those feelings towards women, I think it is there, I just haven't acted on it. 'I do find women attractive, but I just don't know what I find in the bedroom sexy about a woman. I need to be in a situation where I am allowing myself to feel aroused by being with a woman.' Meanwhile more reserved and shy Chris claimed that while he does find women attractive it's not something he 'actively seeks out'. Chris expressed concerns about potentially experiencing feelings of jealousy when seeing his partner with a woman. The couple also acknowledged their limited familiarity with the female body and expressed a willingness to 'learn on the job'. Simon shared that he is concerned he may discover a preference for sexual experiences with women, which could potentially jeopardise his relationship with Chris. At a drinks reception, Simon struck up a conversation with Naomi, an attractive blonde guest, while Chris invited bubbly personality Jen back to their hotel room to join them in the hot tub. In this week's episode Simon is seen getting steamy with Naomi in the hot tub in front of Chris and the couple explore intimacy with women individually. It comes after another couple tried to open up their relationship, however it didn't quite go to plan initially. Tom and Lauren, from Devon, also appeared on the risky series and Tom was sick after chatting to non monogamy expert Effy Blue, who told the pair that they had to have sexual experiences with other people without each other. Earlier this month the pair took to Instagram to open up about their experience on the show with a video of them dancing along to Stormzy's tune Own It. Tom and Lauren captioned the post: 'Thank you everyone for all your support so far, our next episode is out next Friday 10pm, remember please be kind, we went on there to be open & honest and are both very happy together, remember they cut so much out for the drama xxx #openhouse #couple #reel #love #happy #realitytv.' Many rushed to the comments section to share the love. 'Definitely my favorite couple so far! So brave and yeah, good for you!' 'You was both brilliant tonight well done.' 'I watched the second episode of yours last night and I haven't ever sat and clapped for a stranger so much in my life! Hands down my favourite couple yet and the best ending for you guys!' On Monday they shared a happy selfie and told fans: 'Overwhelmed with all the messages & support guys, thank you everyone, we are so glad that Tom's story resonated with so many of you, still smiling from that last episode on.' It comes after MailOnline revealed an exclusive sneak peek of Tom vomiting in a bathroom after being told he has to let partner sleep with another man in a jaw-dropping first look. One couple who appear on the instalment, Tom and Lauren, are keen to spice things up a bit in the bedroom. After a chat with non monogamy expert Effy Blue, the expert said that she wanted the dynamics to 'change a bit' and the pair should both have experiences without each other. Effy tells viewers: 'Today is about challenging Tom to be independent. 'I'm curious to see how that will affect the dynamics they have between them. 'Lauren needs to be a partner to Tom, not a caretaker.' As they return to their room, Lauren tells Tom: 'Don't be nervous. You absolutely got this.' Lauren tells the camera: 'It was my idea. It was my idea from the start. 'Yes it's throwing me and Tom in the deep end... 'But to be able to have him to have the confidence that we can go off, have our fun, come back to each other at the end of the night and it's absolutely insane.' The voiceover says: 'But the thought of flying solo entirely naked isn't sitting well with Tom.' Tom can then be heard being sick in the toilet and Lauren runs to him with some water. 'This is going to be horrible,' Tom confesses. Lauren replies: 'I just want to cuddle you.' Tom says: 'I feel absolutely petrified and sick.' While hugging him from behind, Lauren tells him: 'All that anyone can ask is that you just try, okay?' It comes after viewers saw a couple completely U-turn on monogamy after they embark on a shocking fivesome. A week prior, Johnny, 43, and Sarah, 37, clashed about 'swapping partners' just moments before they both began smooching another woman in the jacuzzi But in the next episode they got up close and personal with three other residents. As viewers will remember, Johnny had to take a breather and confessed he was feeling 'anxious' after getting to know eight other people. Sarah confessed: 'If we don't do it now, I don't think we are ever going to. 'He's naturally going to be a bit nervous but we need to crack on and get it done.' But after having their first ever fivesome, Sarah shouted: 'We want more!' Johnny adds: 'This is just the first step. This is the first step. 'And what we needed to do because this is what we want to do. We want to enjoy each other. 'We want to share it. That's just an amazing experience!' Open House: The Great Sex Experiment airs on Friday on Channel 4 at 10pm.
The Guardian
17-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
A third of UK school staff report ‘physical underdevelopment' in poor students
A third of school staff have seen 'physical underdevelopment' in students due to poverty, with schools in England stretching their budgets to buy basic household items such as cookers, bedding and clothes for pupils whose families are struggling. A survey of more than 14,000 school staff, published at the National Education Union's annual conference in Harrogate, found that this rose to more than half of those teachers working in deprived areas, with warnings that things 'can only get worse' after recent benefit cuts. Teachers attending the conference said the malign impact of poverty went beyond malnutrition, with families needing help to navigate the benefits system and lacking necessities such as beds or tables. Chris Dutton, the deputy headteacher of a secondary school in the south-west of England and chair of the NEU's national leadership council, said state schools 'up and down the country' were providing vital support for families who had nowhere else to turn. 'School budgets are being spent on things that you wouldn't necessarily associate with school budgets, providing basic equipment for families, providing things like cookers and microwaves,' Dutton said. 'Some schools are having to make those difficult decisions and decide what's right to do. And actually, it shouldn't be coming out of school budgets – but we shouldn't be having children living in these circumstances.' Michael Allen, a primary school teacher in Wiltshire, said schools were having to provide clothes for children joining reception classes who were unable or too anxious to use toilets by themselves, as well as trying to support their families, putting additional strains on teachers. Allen said: 'We know some children are cold when they come to school. We know that we can give out some payments for heating. But we have to plan that ahead, so it's more worries for teachers and school leaders when we want to be focusing on teaching and inspiring pupils. 'We are really sometimes mired in things that we feel that maybe others should have picked up before they get to school.' Kari Anson, the head of a special needs school in Birmingham, said poor living conditions and cuts to disability benefits created greater difficulties for the families of children with special educational needs (Sen). 'There are some children with additional needs, complex medical needs, who because of poverty are living in housing conditions that are absolutely awful. We're talking mould on the walls, and that impacts those children who are asthmatic, prone to chest infections. This is putting those children in hospital, which means they're then not attending school,' Anson said. She added: 'I'm really scared about the potential welfare cuts to Pip [personal independence payments] … that will affect a huge amount of young people within the Sen sector. So that really worries me, because it means that things potentially can only get worse.' The latest government data, published last month for 2023-24, showed that the number of children in poverty had risen to 4.5 million, and accounted for 31% of all children in the UK. Daniel Kebede, the NEU's general secretary, said successive governments had expected schools to 'plug the gaps' being left in the lives of children. 'A government calling for 'high and rising standards' [in schools] cannot at the same time stand idly by in the face of high and rising rates of child poverty,' Kebede said. A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'No child should be living in poverty, which is why we have already taken wide-ranging action to break the unfair link between background and opportunity, led by our cross-government child poverty taskforce. 'We have also tripled investment in breakfast clubs to over £30m – with delivery of free meals and childcare to begin in up to 750 schools from this month – and increased pupil premium to over £3bn to provide additional support for those children that need it most.'
