Our planet is filled with so many species. Over 1,000 new species are discovered every year. Recently, a 17-foot Burmese python was captured and killed in Big Cypress National Preserve in the Florida Everglades. 17 feet! That’s the size of a giraffe! But, what is a Burmese python? How are they different from other snakes?

 Well, the Burmese python is unique because of where they are being found. Usually, the Burmese python is native to Southern and Southeast Asia, in countries such as eastern India, Southeastern Nepal, Western Bhutan, Southeastern Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and other countries in that region. But now they are being found in South Florida, and have reached a minimum viable population. They have become an invasive species because of how they just “invaded” South Florida. This species is different from snakes because they tend to be more calm and tame (as far as tame goes with snakes and pythons) than when they were younger; younger Burmese pythons are more aggressive. These snakes also are in the top five largest known snakes in the world.

  The Burmese python is usually bigger than 17 feet in their native lands, but they are not as big in South Florida. This 17 foot python is the biggest on record currently in Florida. These Burmese pythons are being tracked with radio transmitters so that when they mate, the wildlife workers know. The female 17-foot Burmese python was found with 73 eggs in the development process. Their mating season is in between the months of January and April. These Burmese pythons are only in Florida because people kept them as pets at first before releasing them into the wild. So there they are now, in the Swamplands known as South Florida.

  Hurricane Andrew really messed up the flow of the pythons, especially because Hurricane Andrew blew right through a python conservation shelter. Now their population has increased drastically after being thrown out into the wild like that.