The department’s perfectly named snake-response team, Venom One — yes, that’s a real thing — found the nope rope in the 28000 block of SW 141st Street, just south of Miami Executive Airport on Monday. In a video MDFR posted on its Instagram account, Capt. Rusty Shaw, also aptly named, handles the deadly, and apparently well-fed, Burmese python with expert ease, even as the serpent wraps its tail around his leg.
"First introduced through the exotic pet trade, these snakes have thrived in the Everglades and are increasingly found in suburban neighborhoods," according to Venom One. "While they rarely pose a danger to adults, they can threaten domestic pets and continue to impact native wildlife."
Because pythons and other snakes thrive in South Florida’s climate, MDFR organized a response team to remove serpents from urban areas. The team even identifies snakes via text or email and responds to calls about all manner of troublesome animals. It also houses the only public antivenom bank in the nation.
The Burmese python is widely considered South Florida’s most destructive invasive species, unless you count humans. They’re so dangerous, in fact, the state declares an annual war against them, offering tens of thousands of dollars in bounties for whoever can slaughter the most pythons.
Burmese pythons aren't indigenous to Florida and prey on native species like birds, rodents, and reptiles, according to FWC. This particular python's distended belly is likely evidence of the species' varied carnivorous diet. As Burmese pythons spread through Everglades National Park, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a science-based bureau of the federal government, reports that native mammal populations have sharply declined. Between 1997 and 2012, raccoon populations in the Everglades decreased by 99 percent, opossums by 99 percent, and bobcats by 88 percent, according to a USGS study.
Since 2000, more than 23,000 Burmese pythons have been reported removed from Florida’s environment, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. That may not be surprising once you realize Burmese pythons can live up to 30 years and lay more than 100 eggs at a time, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. They can grow longer than 18 feet and weigh more than 200 pounds.
