Young Jake Waleri was hunting pythons early in the morning when he came across the largest invasive python ever caught in the state of Florida.
As explained by the institution The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, this Burmese python specimen was almost six meters long and weighed 56 kilos. The monstrous snake was captured at Big Cypress National Preserve on July 10.
“We wanted to donate this find to science. It’s amazing to be able to make an impact on the environment in South Florida. We love this ecosystem and we try to preserve it as much as possible”, the 22-year-old told the local press.
Ian Easterling, a biologist at The Conservancy, has pointed out that they had indications that these invasive snakes could grow very large and “we now have clear evidence.” “Their genetic material may prove valuable. We will be collecting measurements and samples that will be distributed to our research collaborators”, he added.
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s 10-year Burmese Python Research and Removal Team has removed more than 30,000 pythons from an area of ??approximately 90 square miles in Southwest Florida.
These huge snakes have severely impacted native species and ecosystems. The first specimens were found in the Everglades swamps in 1979, leading to the conclusion that they had been released or had escaped. In the early 2000s, a breeding population was confirmed to exist and it was recognized as an established invasive species.
Now they can be found in Broward, Palm Beach, Monroe counties and on the southwest coast of the state of Florida.
