Burmese python in Florida tries to swallow 77-pound deer; video

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida connected Thursday shared images and video showing a Burmese python attempting to “ingest” a 77-pound white-tailed deer.

The big female python, photographed successful South Florida by conservancy biologist Ian Bartoszek, measured 14 feet, 8 inches.

Bartoszek stated: “Watching an invasive apex predator swallow a full-sized cervid successful beforehand of you is thing that you will ne'er forget.

“The effect nan Burmese python is having connected autochthonal wildlife cannot beryllium denied. This is simply a wildlife rumor of our clip for nan Greater Everglades ecosystem.”

(Click present to position video footage showing nan bonzer predation event.)

The imagery, showcased via Facebook, was utilized successful a collaborative study “to amended understand nan ecological impacts of nan invasive Burmese python.”

The study was published precocious successful nan diary of Reptiles and Amphibians.

Burmese pythons, which tin measurement astir 20 feet, are autochthonal to Southeast Asia. They person established populations passim South Florida, including nan Everglades region.

They person nary earthy predators (besides humans) and proceed to grow their range, posing a increasing threat to autochthonal wildlife.

Because of this, they are not protected and nan authorities allows nan humane sidesplitting of pythons without a licence aliases hunting license.

The largest python captured successful Florida measured 18 feet.