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Giant python in Everglades had 87 eggs

Tue, 08/14/2012 - 2:29pm

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In this Aug. 10, 2012 photo provided by the University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History researchers, from left, Rebecca Reichart, Leroy Nunez, Nicholas Coutu, Claudia Grant and Kenneth Krysko examine the internal anatomy of the largest Burmese python found in Florida to date, on the University of Florida campus. The 17-foot-7-inch snake weighed 164 pounds and carried 87 eggs in its oviducts, a state record. Following scientific investigation, the snake will be mounted for exhibition at the museum for about five years, and then returned for exhibition at Everglades National Park. (AP Photo/University of Florida, Kristen Grace)

In this Aug. 10, 2012 photo provided by the University of Florida, University of Florida herpetologist Kenneth Krysko displays eggs found in the largest Burmese python from Florida to date. Florida Museum of Natural History researchers examined the internal anatomy of the 17-foot-7-inch snake Friday and found a state record 87 eggs in the python’s oviducts. An invasive species and one of the deadliest and most competitive predators in South Florida, the Burmese python was first found in the Everglades in 1979. (AP Photo/University of Florida, Kristen Grace)

A 17-foot-7-inch Burmese python found in the Florida Everglades set a state record for both its size and the 87 eggs it was carrying, according to an official at the national park.

The 164.5-pound (74.6-kilogram) snake was found, tagged and released in March as a part of a program to study invasive species in the Everglades. Scientists at the Florida Museum of Natural History on the University of Florida’s Gainesville campus recaptured the python in April and discovered the eggs during an examination Friday, said Linda Friar, public information officer for Everglades National Park.

"One of the important facts about this animal is its reproductive capability," said Skip Snow, a park wildlife biologist. "There are not many records of how many eggs a large female snake carries in the wild. This shows they’re a really reproductive animal, which aids in their invasiveness."

A species is found to be invasive if it causes economic damage, environmental harm or threatens human health, according to the Agriculture Department. The Burmese python was deemed an injurious species this year by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The designation prohibits importation and interstate transportation of the animal without a permit.

Florida’s invasive reptile and amphibian crisis is the world’s worst, according to the statement. Burmese pythons are known to feed on large animals, including alligators and deer.

The snakes are indigenous to Southeast Asia and are believed to have entered the Everglades through both intentional and accidental pet releases, according to the statement. About 50 Burmese pythons have been removed from in and around Everglades National Park in 2012.

"This snake has adapted to this ecosystem and is reproducing," Friar said. Given the large area covered by the Everglades, chances of eradicating the species are not good: "There’s no clear strategy."