Impressive! 18-foot python captured, the largest ever found in Florida

A team of biologists captured a nearly 18-foot-long (5.49 meters), 215-pound (97 kilograms) female Burmese python in Everglades National Park, the largest ever found in the state, The Conservancy of Southwest Florida announced Wednesday.

The environmental organization said that when they performed a necropsy on the snake, they discovered that it stored 122 eggs in its abdomen, setting another record for the number of eggs a python can produce in its reproductive cycle.

After analyzing its digestive contents, they found "hoof cores" that belonged to an adult deer, its last meal.

Watch the largest Burmese python ever caught in Florida press conference from today here: https://t.co/enUwvAUvTv pic.twitter.com/sZTpsuyaVO

— Conservancy of SWFL (@ConservancySWFL) June 22, 2022

The snake was found thanks to the organization's research program, which uses radio transmitters implanted in male snakes in order to "understand the python's movements and reproductive behaviors."

The male snakes lead biologists to the breeding females, which allows the removal of them and their eggs.

“Our male scout snakes are attracted to larger females," Ian Bartoszek, environmental science project manager for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, explained in a statement cited by Telemundo 51.

The scientists tracked the male snake named "Dionysus" to a region in the western Everglades wetland, which he frequented for several weeks. "We knew he was there for a reason, and the team found him with the largest female we've seen to date," added Bartoszek.

The discovery, recently documented by National Geographic, highlights the continuing impact of this species, known for its rapid reproduction and threat to native wildlife.

"The eradication of female pythons plays a critical role in disrupting the reproductive cycle of these predators, which are wreaking havoc on the Everglades ecosystem and consuming the food sources of other native species," Bartoszek warned.

The possession and sale of these reptiles are prohibited in Florida, and their importation is also prohibited nationwide.