18-foot python captured on US-41 in Collier County Reporter

[libertybele]

The one thing that I don't like about living in FL = snakes

18-foot python captured on US-41 in Collier County


COLLIER COUNTY

An 18-foot python is captured by three amateur hunters along US-41 in Collier County.

The python weighed more than 100-pounds and is believed to be one of the biggest pythons caught in Florida.

Slithering through, trying to get to the other side of the road proved to be this Burmese python’s fatal mistake.
Python found on US-41 in Collier County. (Credit: Jake Waleri)

“I look up, and I see something blocking the entire road. It takes me a second, and I just see a head move, and I just start screaming,” said Jake Waleri.

Waleri, along with Joshua Laquis and Stephen Gauta, went out looking for the massive snakes Wednesday night. They didn’t expect to find one while driving along US-41 near Monroe Station in Collier County.

“We didn’t expect to come across anything this big,” Waleri said.

“We were sweating and fighting this thing for a good five to 10 minutes,” said Stephen Gauta.
Python found on US-41 in Collier County. (Credit: Jake Waleri)

Stretch the phyton out, and it measures 17 feet 10 inches long and weighs 104 pounds.

“When I saw this thing, and I saw its tail and its head were almost touching the opposite white lines of the road, I was shocked. I was like, this could be a record breaker. It’s not but it’s petty close,” said Waleri.

That title actually belongs to a python caught by experts with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida in June. It was 215-pounds and 18 feet long.

“The most crazy part to me. This, well we think this snake, was spotted three nights before by another guy, so for the entire night, what we talked about was ‘imagine we catch that one snake,” said Laquis.

And they did. “To go out there and remove some of these invasive species to make sure your native wildlife has a chance, it feels really good,” said Gauta.

Tomorrow marks the start of the 2022 Florida Python Challenge. This might be the only event in the nation to encourage members of the general public to take an online class, then go deep into the Everglades to compete for thousands of dollars in prizes.

https://www.winknews.com/2022/08/04/18-foot-python-captured-on-us-41-in-collier-county/

[Hoodat]

Good.  Kill every last one of them.

[Cyber Liberty]

18-foot is moderate-to-long for a Python.  I had a friend who had two that length she kept as pets.

[libertybele]

18-foot is moderate-to-long for a Python.  I had a friend who had two that length she kept as pets.

Oh, no, no, no.  There's no way I could be in the same house as someone with a 'pet' Python. 

[Cyber Liberty]

Oh, no, no, no.  There's no way I could be in the same house as someone with a 'pet' Python.

Half of her large living room was converted into a Python cage. Next to it was the 6-foot Western Diamondback's cage.  She raised rabbits as feeders.

One day a neighbor's pit bull raided the Hutch and killed several rabbits.  The dog mysteriously vanished a couple of days later.  He became the feeder they had killed.  A bit gruesome for me, truthfully.

[Fishrrman]

Why did the python cross the road...?

[PeteS in CA]

Why did the python cross the road? ...

More seriously, unthinking pet owners are the reason the things are now out of control.