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A record-breaking discovery was found in, Naples, Florida
A team of researchers in a reserve in southwestern Florida captured £ 215. Did. 17.7-foot Burmese pythonat the beginning of the new year.
Wildlife biologist and python project manager in a reserve in southwest Florida, Ian Bartoszek, says how important this is to the Everglades region, given that Python is the heaviest on record. Was disclosed to FoxNews Digital.
"This is the biggest snake we have caught," he said.
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"And as far as I know, this is the largest With the weight captured in the invasive range so far in Florida. "
Bartoszek is a snake that he and his team (including biologist Ian Easterling and intern Kyle Findley) weigh over 200 pounds. "I was always wondering if I could catch him," he said.
Biologist Ian Baltshek (right) And Ian Easter Ring (center) is depicted with intern Kyle Findley (left) and a 17.7-foot, 215-pound Burmese python. Captured in December 2021 for tracking a male scout snake in Piki Unstrand State Forest Park. (Reserve in Southwest Florida)
Then they came across this woman's python — it exceeded all their expectations. rice field.
"We put it on the scale, looked up the numbers, and I think there was collective distrust," he said. "In the background, I heard some ticks, like" no way. " "
" I knew she was big, "he said. She said, "I don't think she noticed she was that big."
Python was eventually dragged out of the woods and humanely euthanized.
Biologists remembered their first fight against a giant snake.
He details that she "swinged her weight" and even swiped her findry, wrapping the end of her tail around her "fist". explained.
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"[She] he I missed him, "Bartoszek said.
"But Ian Easter Ring was on the other receiving side — and she hit his face with her tail to let him know that, so it was It was fun. "
The biologist eventually dragged the python out of the forest and euthanized it humanely, so he researched it for future scientific research and saved it for educational support. can do.
Researchers Ian Bartoszek (left), Ian Easterling (center) )) And intern Kyle Findley (right) bring a record female Burmese python (weighing 215 pounds, 17.7 feet long) to a laboratory in Naples, Florida, laying it out and taking pictures. (National Geographic, photo by Maggie Stever)
"She really is the next level of snake," he said. "We have great respect for these animals."
Not only did this Burmese python break the weight record, but the snake had a total of 122 developing eggs.
"It was a record in itself."
The wreckage of the hoof core was recovered from the snake's internal organs. This indicates that she is likely to have eaten an adult white-tailed deer as her last meal.
Researcher Ian Baltshek is playing Sift dozens of raw eggs Autopsy of the largest female Burmese python ever found in Florida. The team counted 122 of these "follicles". This is another record-breaking tally. (National Geographic, photo by Maggie Stever)
This particular finding is for researchers to capture and suppress invasive species. That's why I did it. The desire for wildlife in South Florida puts the entire ecosystem at risk.
"A research partner at the University of Florida has recorded 24 mammals, 47 birds, and 2 reptiles from the Burmese python belly across the range of invasion," the biologist said.
"This is the definition of a generalist apex predator."
A 9-foot Florida alligator eats a 40-pound dog, the owner is next It states as follows. Burmese pythons are big game hunters, so finding these relics is "not surprising". However, the white-tailed deer is also the main prey of the endangered Florida panther.
"They are not interested in us. They are interested in our native wildlife.}
" She is probably over 15 years old. , Perhaps over 20 years old ... and she's been in a naughty landscape all the time, "he said.
"And they are interested in our native wildlife — and we are interested in removing them from the ecosystem."
These herds of white-tailed deer are inside the Burmese python. It was discovered.(Reserve in Southwest Florida)
Invasive species are native to Southeast Asia. It is vulnerable because it is often over-harvested for meat, medicine and leather.
So how did you reach the Everglades? .Bartoszek said the reasons included the deliberate release of pytho ns, fleeing pets, and / or severe weather conditions sweeping breeding facilities.
Bartoszek states that he has been in the reserve for the last 10 years, or 20 years. His team conducted a wireless telemetry study of the invasive Burmese python in the area.
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In this survey, we've seen a "huge amount" of snake behavior. Information is provided. Bartoszek said it was used on animals to eliminate over 26,000 pounds of pythons (more than 1,000 snakes in areas less than 100 square miles). The
team was able to track a particularly fertile female python using an approach called the Scout Snake Methodology.
This method requires a surgical transplant of a radio transmitter into a male python found in a female. This is a one-sided game of "hide and seek", as Balticshek explained.
"It's 0% detectable without having to search Python using Python," he said.
"We have an army of snakes working with us."
Bartoszek explains that Florida residents are unlikely to encounter Burmese pythons. Did. He also said there was no evidence that they were interested in harming humans.
"They aren't interested in us," he said. "They are interested in our native wildlife."
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] Season rather than wrestling with Burmese pythons.
For more information on this story, please visit natgeo.com.