Pythons present a low risk to visitors to the Florida Everglades, according to officials, but you’d probably still want to steer clear of this mammoth Burmese python recently captured by University of Florida researchers.
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National Park Service officials have reported the captured of a Burmese python along a popular wildlife watching trail, Shark Valley in Everglades National Park. It was found along a tram road. Officials with the U.S. Geological Survey say that pythons of this size can digest large prey, such as deer and alligators.
There are estimates that South Florida has several thousands to 100,000 or more snakes.
“The Burmese pythons are unique in that they’re an apex predator species”, Phil Andreozzi, of the National Invasive Species Council, told U.S. News & World Report. After training, the python was humanely euthanized, Corrigan said.
It’s also noted that Everglades National Park officials don’t officially track the sizes of snakes captured outside of the park. Researchers conducted a necropsy on the reptile and found that it was a female but had not reproduced this season, according to CBS News.
Possession or sale of a python for use as pets is prohibited in the State of Florida.
“While this individual was among the largest of the pythons that have been removed, it was not record-setting”, said Katie Corrigan, Everglades public information officer, in a phone interview.
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Pythons are not native to Florida, where scientists say the snakes are devouring native wildlife.
