Burmese pythons are expanding their territory north along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with sightings becoming more frequent in areas beyond the Everglades. Wade Gardener recently captured one of these invasive snakes near his home in Charlotte County, marking another instance of their presence in the region.Snake trapper Seth explained the reasons behind this expansion, saying, “They’re either running out of food or looking for new food, or the population’s just growing so big that they just start spreading out.”The python captured was nearly 12 feet long, comparable to the length of a car. Andrew Durso, a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, noted that Burmese pythons are beginning to slither or swim to new parts of the Gulf Coast.”I think we can expect to see pythons continuing to increase their range naturally, slowly,” Durso said.Trappers are receiving more calls about these snakes appearing in new residential areas, a development that does not surprise experts like Durso.”I also think we can expect to see more populations pop up in areas that have a lot of human traffic,” he said.As the invasive species seeks more food in new locations, Seth mentioned the possibility of their presence extending beyond Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties.”I’ll be more surprised if we start to see him in, like, Sarasota or Bradenton or Tampa area,” Seth said.Seth advised against engaging with these snakes if encountered, as improper handling can lead to serious injuries requiring hospital visits and stitches. Instead, he recommended calling experts to safely remove them from neighborhoods.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
Burmese pythons are expanding their territory north along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with sightings becoming more frequent in areas beyond the Everglades. Wade Gardener recently captured one of these invasive snakes near his home in Charlotte County, marking another instance of their presence in the region.
Snake trapper Seth explained the reasons behind this expansion, saying, “They’re either running out of food or looking for new food, or the population’s just growing so big that they just start spreading out.”
The python captured was nearly 12 feet long, comparable to the length of a car. Andrew Durso, a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, noted that Burmese pythons are beginning to slither or swim to new parts of the Gulf Coast.
“I think we can expect to see pythons continuing to increase their range naturally, slowly,” Durso said.
Trappers are receiving more calls about these snakes appearing in new residential areas, a development that does not surprise experts like Durso.
“I also think we can expect to see more populations pop up in areas that have a lot of human traffic,” he said.
As the invasive species seeks more food in new locations, Seth mentioned the possibility of their presence extending beyond Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties.
“I’ll be more surprised if we start to see him in, like, Sarasota or Bradenton or Tampa area,” Seth said.
Seth advised against engaging with these snakes if encountered, as improper handling can lead to serious injuries requiring hospital visits and stitches. Instead, he recommended calling experts to safely remove them from neighborhoods.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.