A Burmese python in southern Florida made headlines recently after being filmed devouring a 77-pound white-tailed deer. This surprising discovery suggests that these invasive snakes can take on even larger prey than previously believed.
A study from the University of Kansas’ Reptiles & Amphibians, titled “Big pythons, big gape, and big prey,” revealed that this deer represented about 67% of the python’s body mass. The remarkable feeding was recorded by researchers in December 2022, contributing to a larger investigation into the ecological effects of pythons.
“In 12 years of monitoring pythons in southwestern Florida, this was one of the most powerful moments we’ve witnessed,” remarked Ian Bartoszek, a co-author of the study, in an interview with Live Science. “It was a raw and primal scene reminiscent of natural predator-prey interactions that have occurred for eons.”
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The python in question was actually the smallest of the three snakes under observation. Alongside two others, researchers measured the maximum gape—how wide the snakes can open their mouths. All three ranged from 15 to 19 feet long, boasting a gape of 10.2 inches in diameter, surpassing the previously recorded maximum of 8.66 inches.
Florida has been struggling with python population control since the snakes, originally from Asia, were first documented in the Everglades in 1979. As apex predators, they have no natural enemies, wreaking havoc on local wildlife.
To tackle the growing python issue, Florida hosts an annual Python Challenge, offering prizes totaling over $25,000 for successful hunters. This year’s event took place from August 9 to 18.
Notably, one of the largest pythons recorded in the Everglades was captured in 2022, measuring nearly 18 feet and weighing 215 pounds while carrying 122 eggs.