HOMESTEAD, Fla. — A snake hunter captured a record 17-foot python during the South Florida Water Management District’s hunt over the weekend.
- 17-foot python captured in Florida hunt
- Jason Leon spotted the snake and shot it in the head
- Since March, hunters have captured 738 pythons
Jason Leon spotted the 132-pound female snake submerged in water at about 2:45 a.m. Friday.
In a video posted the SFWMD’s Facebook page, Leon said he grabbed the snake and shot it in the head.
The snake was taken to the district’s Homestead field station.
At 17 feet, 1 inch, the snake is the longest snake captured as part of the district's Python Elimination Program, topping the previous record by 2 inches.
Leon still holds the 2013 state record for a python he captured that was 18 feet, 8 inches, according to SFWMD.
Since late March, hunters have captured 738 invasive Burmese pythons in Florida, officials said.
The snakes were captured on state land in Miami-Dade, Broward and Collier counties.