Massive 17-Foot Python Captured in Florida’s Everglades

A massive 17-foot long Burmese python was recently captured in Florida’s Everglades National Park, marking one of the largest snakes ever found in the state.

Contents hide

1. Chance Encounter Leads to Giant Catch

2. Ongoing Battle Against Invasive Predator

3. Second Largest Python on Record

Chance Encounter Leads to Giant Catch

The python was caught by a group of five men, including conservationist Mike Elfenbein and his son Cole. They had met up with three other python hunters in Big Cypress National Preserve when they came across the giant snake crossing a road. At first they thought it was an alligator due to its sheer size.

It took all five men to wrestle and contain the snake. Even with the group sitting on top of it, the python was able to lift its body off the ground and keep moving, demonstrating its immense strength.

Once captured, the snake was found to measure 17 feet 2 inches long with a 23 inch girth. It weighed a staggering 198 pounds, making it the second heaviest python ever captured in Florida.

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A post shared by Mike Elfenbein (@mike_2lf)

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Ongoing Battle Against Invasive Predator

The Burmese python is an invasive species in Florida, introduced through the exotic pet trade in the 1970s. With no natural predators aside from humans, the python has established breeding populations in the Everglades and other parts of Southern Florida.

The snakes pose a major threat to native birds, mammals and other wildlife. Their rapid proliferation continues despite control efforts like the annual Florida Python Challenge aimed at culling the population by enabling hunters to kill as many snakes as possible.

Elfenbein, who plans to display the massive snake’s skull, is one of many trying to curb the python’s invasive spread and impact. While complete statewide eradication is likely impossible now, suppression through strategic programs could help manage the python population, especially on a local level.

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Second Largest Python on Record

At 17 feet 2 inches, this recently captured snake is the second largest python ever found in Florida according to official state records.

The largest was an 18-foot long female python weighing 215 pounds captured in 2022. However, the longest was a 19-foot python found in 2021, but it weighed less than this most recent catch.

With thousands of pythons estimated to inhabit Southern Florida, encounters with giant snakes are becoming more frequent. Continued efforts to control their population will be crucial for protecting Florida’s native ecosystems.

This latest massive discovery highlights the python’s immense size potential and the ongoing struggle to mitigate their environmental impact. The snake hunters involved were fortunate to chance upon and safely capture such a giant Burmese python prowling Florida’s revered Everglades.

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