A snake believed to be the longest invasive Burmese python ever recorded was captured by two Florida hunters after a mighty struggle.
Stephen Gauta and Jake Waleri caught the humungous reptile in Big Cypress national preserve near the Everglades in southern Florida earlier this week after it lunged at Waleri, 22, who then wrestled it back to the ground.
A video of the incident was captured and posted to Gauta and Waleri’s joint Instagram account. After the capture, the two brought the snake to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
The snake was measured at 19ft – a new documented record for length – and weighed 125 pounds, staff from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, a conservation advocacy organization, said. The snake is as long as an adult giraffe is tall.
The longest snake previously recorded in Florida, also a Burmese python, was 18ft 9in.
Ian Easterling, a biologist at the conservancy said there were signs snakes of this species were increasing in size.
“We had a feeling that these snakes get this big and now we have clear evidence. Her genetic material may prove valuable for an eventual understanding of the founding population of south Florida. We will be collecting measurements and samples that will be distributed to our research collaborators,” he said.
Burmese pythons are native to south-east Asia and considered an invasive species in Florida. Pythons are typically found near wetlands or open bodies of water.
In Florida, these snakes have a large breeding population within and around the Florida Everglades and have proved devastating to native wildlife, despite many efforts over recent years to reduce their numbers and desperate hopes to eradicate them, while sometimes finding other uses for their skins.
The Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area, an inter-agency partnership, noted that Burmese pythons “are a threat to native wildlife and ecosystems of south Florida”. It added: “Their presence has led to severe declines in Everglades mammal populations.”
The organization cautioned those living in the same areas of these snakes to make their yards less attractive by removing excess debris and maintaining landscaping.
Waleri said: “It’s awesome to be able to make an impact on south Florida’s environment. We love this ecosystem and try to preserve it as much as possible.”
