This female python was over 17 feet long, weighed 140 pounds, and contained 73 developing eggs.
She is the largest python ever removed from Big Cypress National Preserve– and she was caught because of research and a new approach to finding pythons.
Using male pythons with radio transmitters allows the team to track the male to locate breeding females. The team not only removes the invasive snakes, but collects data for research, develop new removal tools, and learn how the pythons are using the Preserve.
The team tracked one of the sentinel males with the transmitter and found this massive female nearby.
All of the python work at Big Cypress is focused on controlling this invasive species, which poses significant threats to native wildlife.
The Resource Management staff would like to thank all of the Preseve divisions that have supported the python program. Their support, along with the tireless efforts of our partners at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), have allowed us to locate and remove several breeding female pythons over the past few months. Thanks everyone!
Remember that the EDDMapS allows you to enter data where you see pythons in Big Cypress. Your information will be used in fighting this invasive species.