Burmese pythons are expanding their territory north along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with sightings becoming more frequent in areas beyond the Everglades. Wade Gardener recently captured one of these invasive snakes near his home, marking another instance of their presence in the region.Snake trapper Seth explained the reasons behind this expansion, saying, “They’re either running out of food or looking for new food, or the population’s just growing so big that they just start spreading out.”Video above: Ball python caught on camera chilling on a pool deck The python captured was nearly 12 feet long, comparable to the length of a car. The largest Burmese python ever captured in Florida was a female measuring nearly 18 feet and weighing 215 pounds in 2022.Andrew Durso, a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, noted that Burmese pythons are beginning to slither or swim to new parts of the Gulf Coast.Video below: 5-foot python found in bathroom of apartment”I think we can expect to see pythons continuing to increase their range naturally, slowly,” Durso said.Trappers are receiving more calls about these snakes appearing in new residential areas, a development that does not surprise experts like Durso.”I also think we can expect to see more populations pop up in areas that have a lot of human traffic,” he said.As the invasive species seeks more food in new locations, Seth mentioned the possibility of their presence extending beyond Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties.”I’ll be more surprised if we start to see him in, like, Sarasota or Bradenton or Tampa area,” Seth said.Seth advised against engaging with these snakes if encountered, as improper handling can lead to serious injuries requiring hospital visits and stitches. Instead, he recommended calling experts to safely remove them from neighborhoods.
Burmese pythons are expanding their territory north along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with sightings becoming more frequent in areas beyond the Everglades. Wade Gardener recently captured one of these invasive snakes near his home, marking another instance of their presence in the region.
Snake trapper Seth explained the reasons behind this expansion, saying, “They’re either running out of food or looking for new food, or the population’s just growing so big that they just start spreading out.”
Video above: Ball python caught on camera chilling on a pool deck
The python captured was nearly 12 feet long, comparable to the length of a car.
The largest Burmese python ever captured in Florida was a female measuring nearly 18 feet and weighing 215 pounds in 2022.
Andrew Durso, a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, noted that Burmese pythons are beginning to slither or swim to new parts of the Gulf Coast.
Video below: 5-foot python found in bathroom of apartment
“I think we can expect to see pythons continuing to increase their range naturally, slowly,” Durso said.
Trappers are receiving more calls about these snakes appearing in new residential areas, a development that does not surprise experts like Durso.
“I also think we can expect to see more populations pop up in areas that have a lot of human traffic,” he said.
As the invasive species seeks more food in new locations, Seth mentioned the possibility of their presence extending beyond Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties.
“I’ll be more surprised if we start to see him in, like, Sarasota or Bradenton or Tampa area,” Seth said.
Seth advised against engaging with these snakes if encountered, as improper handling can lead to serious injuries requiring hospital visits and stitches. Instead, he recommended calling experts to safely remove them from neighborhoods.