Wildlife experts in Southwest Florida recently captured 500 pounds of Burmese pythons, including one that was over 16 feet long, after discovering a nest of the snakes near Naples.
The Collier County operation took place during National Invasive Species Awareness Week, as reported by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. This marked a record for the organization, which has been working for ten years to eliminate these invasive snakes from the area, according to the Miami Herald.
The group captured 11 pythons weighing a total of 500 pounds, according to their Facebook page.
“For 10 years, we’ve been catching and putting them (Burmese pythons) down humanely,” conservatory spokesperson Ian Bartoszek wrote in the post. “You can’t put them in zoos and send them back to Southeast Asia. Invasive species management doesn’t end with rainbows and kittens. These are remarkable creatures, here through no fault of their own. They are impressive animals, good at what they do.”
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The snakes are non-native, invasive and cause ecological disturbance
The group stated that Florida is home to numerous non-native species of plants and animals.
“When these introduced species reproduce in the wild and cause economic, social, or ecological disturbance, they reach invasive status,” the group explained.
Burmese pythons are invasive and destructive
The impact of Burmese pythons in South Florida is well-documented, leading to an annual hunt for the non-native species in the region.
In South Florida, the pythons flourish and consume everything, with no natural predators, making them one of the most concerning invasive species in the area, particularly in Everglades National Park, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Since 1997, the pythons have caused significant declines in raccoon, opossum, and bobcat populations, as reported by the federal agency. “The mammals that have declined most significantly have been regularly found in the stomachs of Burmese pythons removed from Everglades National Park and elsewhere in Florida,” the science bureau posted on its webpage.
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Contributing: Julia Gomez
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Massive nest of invasive Burmese pythons found in Southwest Florida
