EVERGLADES, Fla. — A Burmese python found at Everglades National Park had an appetite so big, it swallowed an alligator — whole.
While this sounds like the beginning of a nursery rhyme, it's no joke. Florida geoscientist Rosie Moore shared video of the 18-foot Burmese python after it was euthanized, the Miami Herald reports. The spine-chilling video shows the inside of the snake...and what it last ate — a 5-foot alligator.
Burmese pythons are an invasive species in Florida and are primarily found in and around the Everglades ecosystem. Because of the snakes' negative impacts on our native species, people can remove and humanely kill pythons at any time on private lands with landowner permission and on 25 commission-managed lands.
The video Moore showed shows scientists evaluating the python's stomach as they removed the alligator, Newsweek shared. Moore said in Instagram comments that the alligator was removed to check the python's stomach contents and take samples for scientific study.
Moore also said a necropsy was later performed on the gator to "see more of the ecological cycle."
The Burmese python is so invasive that Florida hosts a yearly python challenge to encourage people to hunt the invasive species. The challenge allows the public to help engage head-on to help with the problem. It comes complete with rewards: The person who removes the most pythons received $2,500, while the individual who removed the longest python received $1,500.
If snake hunting isn't your thing, you can still help the FWC combat invasive species by reporting sightings to the Invasive Species Hotline at 888-IVE-GOT1 (888-483-4681) or online.
