Biologists announce record removal of 177 Burmese pythons near Naples

NAPLES, Fla. (WSVN) — A team of biologists says they’ve removed a record number of Burmese pythons from the outskirts of Naples.

The serpents were captured in the midst of their breeding season, which runs through April.

Officials say the haul consisted of 177 snakes, weighing more than 8,000 pounds. That number beats the previous record of 6,500 pounds, which was set last year.

“The team was pretty effective at locating female pythons, the adult pythons out in the landscape. We used male scout snakes to help us get close to these animals,” said Ian Bartoszek, a wildlife biologist for Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

Researchers found over 86 species of wildlife in the stomachs of Burmese pythons.

Experts say they are the most important snakes to remove from the local ecosystem due to how rapidly the species reproduces and the dangers they pose to other species, including white-tailed deer.