Gainesville is home to a new record-breaking reptile — but it’s not an alligator.
Researchers with the Florida Museum of Natural History dissected a 17-foot-7-inch Burmese python Aug. 10, the largest of its kind ever found in the state. The 164.5-pounder was pregnant with 87 eggs and broke previous state records for pythons.
“This thing is monstrous; it’s about a foot wide,” Florida Museum herpetology collection manager Kenneth Krysko said in a press release. Krysko was out of town and unavailable for an interview.
The Florida Museum received the specimen from the Everglades National Park as part of a U.S. Department of the Interior project researching methods for managing Florida’s invasive Burmese python problem, according to the release.
After the scientists complete their investigation, the museum will display the snake for about five years. Then it will return to the Everglades for more exhibition.
Museum biologist Rob Robins said athough the snake is well within the average length of the species, the fact that they are growing to be so large in their non-native environment is troubling.
“They’re very cryptic and well-camouflaged, so there could be bigger ones out there,” Robins said.
The longest Burmese python previously found in Florida measured 16.8 feet. Another was pregnant with 85 eggs.
The spike in python population led the state to pass a series of laws regarding the snakes. It’s illegal to own them as pets or to transport them across state lines without a federal permit.
People can hunt the pythons in certain areas in some spring months if they have a hunting license and required permits.
At UF, researchers examined the snake’s stomach, which contained feathers that will be identified by museum ornithologists. The pythons’ prey can include birds, deer, bobcats and alligators.
By inspecting the snake and the contents of its stomach, researchers hope to learn more about the elusive reptile and how to stop the snakes from spreading.
Contact Shelby Webb at swebb@alligator.org.
