They capture a giant snake in Florida

Researchers at the Big Cypress National Reserve, Florida (USA), have captured a snake that looks like a horror movie. The specimen, from the family of pythons, has set a record in the history of the place since It was 5.2 meters long and weighed about 63.5 kg. It contained 73 eggs fertilized inside. and ready to be incubated.

As announced the booking on his Facebook page, It's the biggest female snake that they've released from Big Cypress. The python of Burma (Bivitatus in python) was captured and removed from the wild in a controlled manner and using an innovative technique to control invasive species on the reserve.

Burmese pythons pose a serious threat to Florida's native fauna. They are considered an invasive species since its first appearance in the 80s. Although this species is native to Asia, it is thought that Some people in Florida keep them at home as pets until they are released when they realize how much they can grow up.

These snakes do not have any natural predators in Florida, according to the United States Geological Survey, they have caused a drastic reduction in mid-sized mammals in the region. As a result, the captured specimens are slaughtered by the workers on the reserve. As they expressed on their Facebook page: "They have a very negative impact on animals such as deer, birds and even panthers … It's not fun to sacrifice them, but to protect the many native species of Big Cypress.". Experts estimate that more than 300,000 adults of this snake live in Florida.

To capture this giant python, the researchers used an innovative method based on follow female pythons in reproductive phase through males, which are monitored by radio transmitters. They locate the places they usually visit.

In addition to eliminating invasive snakes, the Big Cypress National Reserve takes advantage of each discovery to collect data, develop new tools to remove them, and learn how these animals move in the area.

tags:
Florida
United States
Big Cypress National Reserve
Snake
Python