A group of biologists in South Florida witnessed a Burmese python swallow a full-grown deer right in front of them. A new study conducted by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida found that Burmese pythons can consume greater prey than previously thought. It ate a 77-pound whitetail deer. That's what one of three female Burmese pythons did while being observed by experts for research published this week in the Journal of Reptiles and Amphibians.
The data collected revealed that these invasive snakes have a larger gap than the previous greatest diameter observed, increasing from 8.7 inches in previous research to 10.2 inches in the new one. The measurements correspond to a circumference of 32 inches. The pythons' huge jaws and elastic skin allow them to swallow prey that is six times larger than other snake species, according to the conservation organization. "This means that more animals are on the menu," the conservation organization stated in a press release.
Biologists Ian Bartoszek and Ian Easterling, working with Dr. Bruce Jayne of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Biological Science, identified the study's largest gap. They worked on three Burmese pythons, the longest of which was 19 feet long, as well as two other massive snakes that were 15 and 17 feet respectively. "These snakes resemble overachievers by sometimes testing the limits of what their anatomy allows rather than being slackers that eat only 'snack size' prey," writes Jayne.
The study found that the deer killed by the python accounted for 66.9% of the snake's mass. The conservancy's team has eliminated nearly 770 pythons in the last 12 years. Jayne stated that if each of the snakes ate one deer as large as they could swallow, that would amount to approximately 13,000 pounds of deer.
According to Bartoszek, the Burmese python has a significant influence on native biodiversity. This is a current wildlife issue affecting the Greater Everglades ecosystem. For the unversed, more than 120 snakes have been radio-tagged and followed so that the conservation organization can better understand the species. By October 2024, it had eliminated more than 36,000 pounds of python from southwest Florida.
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