World Record: Giant Burmese Python Caught in Florida

Web Desk

05th Aug, 2023. 03:53 pm
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In South Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve, local hunters made a record-breaking catch this week. They captured a massive 19-foot-long Burmese python, setting a new world record for length. The enormous snake, weighing 125 pounds, was caught by 22-year-old Jake Waleri, who brought it to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida in Naples.

Burmese pythons are invasive species causing havoc to Florida’s native animal populations, as they have no natural predators in the region. To combat the problem, hunters like Waleri spend their nights seeking out these monstrous predators. Waleri expressed his commitment to preserving the ecosystem and making a positive impact on South Florida’s environment.

The previous record for the longest python was set in 2020, while the heaviest python was captured by the Conservancy in June 2022, weighing a whopping 215 pounds. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission allows hunters to kill these pythons without a permit to control their numbers. However, anti-cruelty laws require the snakes to be humanely killed.

Burmese pythons prey on a wide range of Florida wildlife, including rabbits, house pets, foxes, and even white-tailed deer. To address the python problem, Florida hosts an annual competition called the Florida Python Challenge, attracting hunters and amateurs who compete for prize money to help keep the python populations at bay.