Python hiding in tree lunges repeatedly to bite nearby hunters, Florida video shows
It’s increasingly common to find Burmese pythons in high grass in South Florida, but the invasive snakes are apparently comfortable hiding in trees, too.
Video of one such encounter was shared Wednesday, Oct. 9, on Facebook, showing the snake turned aggressive and began lunging to bite.
The recording was made by hunting guide Mike Kimmel, known as the Python Cowboy, after the snake’s hiding spot was revealed by a hunting dog named Otto. The video, which contains strong language, can be seen here.
“We walked past this thing, like, three or four times,” he says in the video. “I would have walked right past it again if it were not for this (hunting) dog. .... Definitely a trickier situation.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wants invasive species removed from the wild, but this particular snake was determined not to surrender.
It lunged with jaws open multiple times as the hunters closed in. When that failed to work, the snake tried climbing higher.
One of the hunters then grabbed it by the head, revealing it to be a younger python of about four feet.
“The little guys are the tough ones (to catch) cause where to grab them is so small and they’re quick,” Kimmel notes in the video.
The location of the group hunt was not revealed. It occurred earlier this year and included a hunter affiliated with the TV show “Swamp People: Serpent Invasion.”
Burmese pythons are thriving in South Florida after escaping captivity or being freed by pet owners, experts say.
The nonvenomous snakes, which grow to 18 feet in Florida, are creating havoc in the Everglades ecosystem by preying on native wildlife, including deer, bobcats and alligators, experts say.
Florida wildlife officials recommend the snakes be humanely euthanized when captured in the wild.
This story was originally published October 10, 2024 at 5:10 AM with the headline "Python hiding in tree lunges repeatedly to bite nearby hunters, Florida video shows."