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).
He pointed out that the Burmese python, an invasive species originating from the wetlands of the Everglades in southern Florida, is recognized for posing a significant threat to the state's native wildlife.
In 2023, a group of python hunters captured what was at that moment the second largest snake ever recorded in Florida.
"Officially, it measures 17'2" (5.23 meters) and weighs 198 pounds. This snake consumed a lot of native fauna to grow so large. It had just eaten its last meal. It took five of us to control it, and we're glad to have removed it from our Everglades where it can no longer eat our wildlife," Mike Elfenbein, an invasive python hunter in Florida, stated on Instagram.
The 2024 Python Challenge in Florida, a competition aimed at eradicating Burmese pythons from the Everglades, was recently held with a prize pool of over $25,000 in cash rewards.
Professional and amateur hunters competed for prizes that included the longest python captured and the highest number of pythons caught and removed.
At the beginning of the month, python hunter Donna Kalil, recognized for her work in reducing invasive snakes in Everglades National Park, reported that her team captured 72 pythons in just the month of July.
In a Facebook post, Kalil stated that the women's organization she leads, known as the "Everglades Avengers," captured that incredible number in one month and a total of 969 since they decided to dedicate themselves to this work.
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