iStockphoto / dwi septiyana
Invasive Burmese Pythons have been proliferating in South Florida for decades now. The exact nature of how these invasive snakes began to gain a foothold in the Florida Everglades remains a mystery. But it is often said that exotic pet dealers released them prior to a hurricane and that moment led to an explosion in the population over the coming decades.
Because Burmese Pythons are invasive they are supposed to be euthanized on the spot. In instances where scientists are doing the euthanizing they often study the snakes for research purposes.
Recently, scientists in South Florida found a 5-foot alligator swallowed hole and nearly intact inside of an invasive 18-foot Burmese Python. The largest Burmese Python ever captured in Florida measured 18-feet-9-inches. So this was about as big as they get (for now) in Florida.
This is a bit like a high school biology class. These scientists are dissecting the deceased snake. So if that isn’t something you want to see, leave now. However, if you want to see the 5-foot alligator inside of the snake then click play on the video below:
That video was posted by Rosie Moore who has an M.S. in Geosciences and is an avid freediver. Her caption reads:
The Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) is one of the largest snakes in the world (up to 20+ft). This particular Python was roughly 18 ft, and had consumed a 5ft alligator. 🤯 *Burmese pythons are required to be euthanized in Florida. This Python was euthanized by those who found it, and turned over to a research lab for necropsy and scientific sample collection. That process is shown in this video.
Due to the the subtropical environment of South Florida, paired with the Burmese pythons long life span and rapid reproduction, these snakes have successfully invaded ecologically sensitive areas such as Everglades National Park. This poses a threat to a variety of wildlife, due to the pythons wide dietary preferences.
The top comment on Rosie’s Instagram post is from the infamous Python Cowboy. You can see him take a vicious bite from a 17-foot snake, or find a python nest with over 45 eggs.
His comment is illuminating. It reads “I’ve found a number of them with gators inside or actively strangling… gators are becoming a common good source for them.” If anyone in the Florida Everglades has expertise in these pythons swallowing alligators, it is this guy. And his comment suggests that as the years go on and these pythons grow larger they are having little trouble swallowing the alligators.
In the comments, Rosie Moore said “I actually thought it was pretty gross too and I’m used to necropsies and things.” She added “we were taking breaks running outside trying to get some fresh air, I’ve never smelled anything like that.”
Many people in the Instagram comments are asking/wondering why they would cut open the deceased Burmese Python and that answer is simple: science. It is important for scientists to know what these invasive snakes are eating in order to devise ways to better track the snakes and stop them from proliferating.