One of the largest Burmese pythons recorded in Florida was recently captured, measuring 5.49 meters (18 feet) in length.
The news was shared this Wednesday on Facebook by Matt Devitt, who reported that the record is held by a reptile that reached a length of 5.79 meters (19 feet).
It was noted that the Burmese python, an invasive species originating from the wetlands of the Everglades in southern Florida, is known to pose a significant threat to the native wildlife of the state.
In 2023, a group of python hunters caught what was at that time the second largest snake ever recorded in Florida.
"Officially measuring 17'2" (5.23 meters) and weighing 198 pounds. This snake ate a lot of native fauna to get this big. It ate its last meal. It took five of us to control it, glad to have removed it from our Everglades where it can no longer eat our wildlife," said Mike Elfenbein, an invasive python hunter in Florida, on Instagram.
The 2024 Python Challenge in Florida, a competition aimed at eradicating Burmese pythons from the Everglades, recently took place with a reward of over $25,000 in cash prizes.
Professional and amateur hunters competed for prizes that included the longest python captured and the largest number of pythons captured and removed.
At the beginning of the month, python hunter Donna Kalil, known for her work in reducing invasive snakes in Everglades National Park, reported that her team captured 72 pythons just in July.
In a Facebook post, Kalil said that the women's organization she leads, known as the "Everglades Avengers," captured that incredible figure in one month and 969 in total since they decided to dedicate themselves to this work.
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