A free-ranging Burmese python in Florida has laid 96 eggs in one go 鈥� the biggest number ever documented for this species.
Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) are native to South-East Asia, but tens of thousands now live in the Everglades and surrounding areas in southern Florida, after some that were imported as pets escaped in the 1970s and established a breeding population.
at the US Geological Survey and her colleagues are tracking several females as part of a study to better understand and manage the invasive species. They do this by in the snakes.
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The team began closely monitoring one 5-metre-long female in Big Cypress National Preserve, which borders the Everglades, on 23 May 2022, after she appeared to lay a very large clutch of eggs.
鈥淭hey wrap themselves tightly around the eggs and shiver to produce heat to keep the eggs at a certain temperature, then move off when the eggs are close to hatching,鈥� says Yackel Adams.
After the female left, the team counted 96 eggs in total 鈥� 83 of which hatched and 13 appeared to be non-viable. 鈥淭o our knowledge, this is the largest clutch size ever doc颅umented for a free-ranging Burmese python,鈥� says Yackel Adams. The average clutch size reported for this species is about 50 eggs, she says.
The researchers collected the eggs, which were 8 centimetres long on average, and dehydrated them in a drying oven to preserve them.
The high reproductive output of these snakes has caused their population to explode in Florida. They have had a devastating impact on local wildlife, .
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 see a marsh rabbit or raccoon or deer in Everglades National Park any more 鈥� they鈥檙e gone,鈥� says Yackel Adams. The pythons grab hold of these animals with their mouths, squeeze them to death and then slowly ingest them, she says.
Burmese pythons aren鈥檛 considered a threat to humans because they are non-venomous and mostly avoid people, but Yackel Adams was once bitten by one while returning it to a capture bag. 鈥淭he snake grabbed my index finger, and because they have many tiny teeth that break off easily, she left seven teeth in there,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he area blistered and then the teeth came up and out, kind of like splinters.鈥�
Reptiles & Amphibians
