Florida python hunters wrangled a massive Burmese python July 10, the largest ever recorded in the state, according to a press release.
Measuring 19 feet in length, the Burmese python beat the previous 18-foot, nine-inch record. It weighed in at 125 pounds, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida wrote in a press release.
Damn they had to jump my boy pic.twitter.com/VRyiyL0x4k
— Lance🇱🇨 (@Bornakang) July 14, 2023
“We were getting ourselves into a fight that was a little bit trickier than we first anticipated,” one of the hunters, Jake Waleri, told local news outlet WINK.
The hunters unsuccessfully attempted to catch the massive snake with a net before Waleri tried a new strategy. He approached the behemoth, aiming to “come behind it and grab its head like a normal grab, but then the snake went absolutely crazy.”
The longest Burmese python caught in Florida has been documented. Watch full video here: https://t.co/xVNblFVT2d pic.twitter.com/XEd15wljqH
— Conservancy of SWFL (@ConservancySWFL) July 13, 2023
“It was trying to wrap me up trying to strangle me and my friends,” Waleri continued, telling the outlet that despite the struggle “we were able to capture this thing safely.”
Waleri’s mom, Ana, said her “heart stopped” when she realized her son had to “literally throw himself at the python” to catch it. (RELATED: ‘Python Cowboy’ Kills Invasive Snake, Makes Stunning Discovery Inside)
The Burmese python will now be studied as a regional “invasive apex predator,” according to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
“It’s awesome to be able to make an impact on South Florida’s environment. We love this ecosystem and try to preserve it as much as possible,” Waleri said.