Shocking moment: Snake hunters wrestle a 19ft Burmese python in Florida before taped its jaws shut – as it has been proven to be the longest snake ever caught in the US
- Jake Waleri, 22, grabs the 125-pound Python by the neck after she lunges at him
- At 19 feet, it is the largest snake ever caught in the United States, according to scientists
This is the shocking moment a snake hunter fought with a 19-foot Burmese python, said to be the longest ever found in the US.
Video taken at Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida shows 22-year-old snake hunter Jake Waleri grabbing the 125-pound python by the neck after it lunges at him with its mouth open.
Mr. Valeri wrestles the python, which is as long as an adult giraffe, and wrestles it to the ground while onlookers exclaim, ‘Oh my God! Let’s go!’
Another man asks, “Do you have duct tape on you, I know you have duct tape on you,” as they subdue the female snake and shortly thereafter wrap duct tape around her jaw.
In Florida, it is legal to capture and kill Burmese pythons that have no natural predators.
Video taken at Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida shows 22-year-old snake hunter Jake Waleri (pictured) grabbing the 125-pound python by the neck after it lunges at him with its mouth open
According to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the captive Burmese python is the longest ever found in the United States. The previous record in Florida was 18 feet 9 inches.
Burmese pythons are among the largest species of snakes in the world and are an introduced species to the United States.
They have become a serious problem in Florida’s wilderness areas, where they prey on native animals such as raccoons, possums, white-tailed deer, and alligators.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the snakes have caused “severe declines” in several native species.
They also reportedly compete for prey with the critically endangered Florida panther, one of the world’s rarest big cats.
According to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the captive Burmese python is the longest ever found in the United States. The previous record in Florida was 18 feet 9 inches
Burmese pythons are among the largest species of snakes in the world and are an introduced species to the United States