COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – The longest documented Burmese python in Florida was captured in Big Cypress National Reserve on Monday.
The snake measured exactly 19 feet and weighed about 125 pounds, according to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
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The previous record holder, also found in Florida, was 18 feet, 9 inches long.
22-year-old Jake Waleri donated the snake to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida after finding it alongside his hunting partner, Steve Guata, early Monday morning.
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Waleri is one half of the Glades Boys, a duo that leads guided tours through South Florida where participants have the opportunity to hunt invasive Burmese pythons.
“It’s awesome to be able to make an impact on South Florida’s environment,” Waleri said. “We love this ecosystem and try to preserve it as much as possible.”
Biologists from the conservancy say that the research conducted on this snake will be valuable to understanding the founding population of Burmese pythons in South Florida.
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida removal team holds the record for the heaviest Burmese python. That snake, found in June 2022, weighed 215 pounds.
More photos of the record-holding python can be found online, posted by @Gladesboys on Tiktok and Instagram.
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