December 06, 2017 - 4:20 AM
MIAMI - A monster Burmese python has been captured by a snake hunter in the Florida Everglades.
The female snake caught Friday at the Big Cypress National Preserve measured just over 17 feet (5 metres) long and weighed 132 pounds (59 kilograms).
The snake was captured by a hunter participating in the South Florida Water Management District's python elimination program and beats the hunt's previous record length by 2 inches (5 centimetres).
Snake hunter Jason Leon tells the Miami Herald he spotted the snake in submerged in the water and quickly grabbed it and shot it in the head. He said a smaller male python was nearby but not captured.
So far this year, hunters have captured 738 of the invasive snakes, which have become the top predator in the Everglades.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017