Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,

I figured this forum might be interested in seeing a wild Burmese Python living in the Everglades. People have been dumping their unwanted pets into the Everglades for at least 20 ears now and quite a python population has sprung up. I found this one crossing the road in the Everglades at around 10pm. I saw a few others in the water but wasn't able to get any good shots. One appeared to be an albino burm. Anyways, here's the one I found, he's about 10 - 12 feet. Enjoy!

Whaaat people just dump there animals into the wild? Sorry to be the idiot but where exactly are the everglades? Are the conditions there even suitable for snakes to live?

The Everglades are in south Florida. It's mainly swampland and sawgrass. Yes people have been dumping them there for years. They get a cute little baby snake not realizing that it can get to be over 20' so they just dump them when they get to big and to expensive to feed. It's a shame really, they are considered pests since they are not native and are usually killed when found.

I know how they do harm to our native species, but exactly how bad is it?
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Justin

I think I read in the newspaper that Wildlife officers killed around 60 last year.
I saw a clip of a tourist filming some activity in the water and then you see a alligator swim away with about a 10 -12 foot Burm in his mouth. This clip was around about a month or so ago.
Gary

They hurt the habitat quite a bit from what I've heard. They are taking prey that native snakes would normally eat. As already noted they attack alligators also. There was another incident where a 20 footer fought with a gator for over 24 hours. It finally ended in a draw, both swimming of in different directions.

When and where did you take this photo? Can you be specific?

This was taken in Everglades National Park on the main road a few miles north of 9 mile pond at around 10 pm.

What was the date of your observation?

I think it was either the 15th or 16th of June, why?

What did you do with the snake in the photo? Did you leave him alone or try to capture it? Was it aggressive?

RP

I tried to catch it to get a photo with it but he wasn't having any of it. I gently grabbed him the first time and he thrashed violently until I let go, I snapped that pic then grabbed him again, this time with a firm grip but he whipped so hard he knocked my hand loose. I guess I could have jumped on him but I didnt want to aggitate him to much just for a pic so I let him go. He was definitely never anyones pet, way to wild for that.

Baby retics and burms have been seen in early summer for quite a few years now. So it is almost certain that established, breeding adults are living quite comfortably in the Glades. Miami Airport is well known for its freight handlers letting exotics go that the receiver never picked up. They thought it was the humane thing to do, now there are established populations of boids, iguanas, other reptiles, monkeys, etc.

Matt