iStockphoto / girishacf
The Burmese python is an invasive snake species that has proliferated in Florida. It is currently estimated there are between 100,000 and over 1 million of these Burmese pythons in the Sunshine State.
Field biologists aren’t able to get a better estimate of population numbers for several reasons. Primarily, this invasive snake species is so perfectly suited for the Florida Everglades.
Field biologists use geo-tagged tortoises and rabbits to track ‘dens’ these Burmese pythons might inhabit. It has been a remarkably effective method in tracking down these invasive snakes.
Another common method of spotting these invasive pythons in Florida is exactly what we see in this video below. These are cold-blooded creatures and they seek the warmth of roads/concrete during cold spells. Scientists can monitor warm patches of ground (like roads) for snake activity like this:
Bird photographer Kymberly Strempack Clark captured that footage above. She shared it with the world on January 2nd. This was shortly after an extreme cold front blanketed the entire state of Florida in cold weather. As the cold weather moved on, the snakes sought out the warmth of roads baking in the sun.
Similarly, this footage of an invasive Burmese python was filmed right next to a road after a separate cold front. This clip was shared by ‘FLORIDA STATE HUNTERS’.
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5-Foot Alligator Found Inside An 18-Foot Burmese Python
Recently, scientists in South Florida found a 5-foot alligator swallowed hole and nearly intact inside of an invasive 18-foot Burmese Python. The largest Burmese Python ever captured in Florida measured 18-feet-9-inches. So this was about as big as they get (for now) in Florida.
This is a bit like a high school biology class. These scientists are dissecting the deceased snake. So if that isn’t something you want to see, leave now. However, if you want to see the 5-foot alligator inside of the snake then click play on the video below:
That video was posted by Rosie Moore who has an M.S. in Geosciences and is an avid freediver. Her caption reads:
“The Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) is one of the largest snakes in the world (up to 20+ft). This particular Python was roughly 18 ft, and had consumed a 5ft alligator. 🤯 *Burmese pythons are required to be euthanized in Florida. This Python was euthanized by those who found it, and turned over to a research lab for necropsy and scientific sample collection. That process is shown in this video.”
“Due to the the subtropical environment of South Florida, paired with the Burmese pythons long life span and rapid reproduction, these snakes have successfully invaded ecologically sensitive areas such as Everglades National Park. This poses a threat to a variety of wildlife, due to the pythons wide dietary preferences.”
The top comment on Rosie’s Instagram post is from the infamous Python Cowboy. You can see him take a vicious bite from a 17-foot snake, or find a python nest with over 45 eggs.
His comment is illuminating. It reads “I’ve found a number of them with gators inside or actively strangling… gators are becoming a common good source for them.”
If anyone in the Florida Everglades has expertise in these pythons swallowing alligators, it is this guy. And his comment suggests that as the years go on and these pythons grow larger they are having little trouble swallowing the alligators.
In the comments, Rosie Moore said “I actually thought it was pretty gross too and I’m used to necropsies and things.” She added “we were taking breaks running outside trying to get some fresh air, I’ve never smelled anything like that.”
Many people in the Instagram comments are asking/wondering why they would cut open the deceased Burmese Python and that answer is simple: science.
It is important for scientists to know what these invasive snakes are eating in order to devise ways to better track the snakes and stop them from proliferating.