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The largest python snake nest in Florida history was removed from a well-known
wildlife area earlier this month, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission.

A 13 foot and 9-inch female Burmese python and its nest of 111 eggs was removed
from the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area on July 7 by
a contractor with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Python
Action Team, according to FWC spokesperson Lisa Thompson.

Removing the snake and its eggs the environment helps to protect the native
habitats and wildlife in the area, she said.

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

ICYMI: The longest Burmese python ever measured was caught in Florida this week:
'It was insane'




ARE BURMESE PYTHONS NATIVE TO FLORIDA?



While the Sunshine State is known for its rich diversity of snakes and reptiles,
the Burmese python is not one of the 44 native snake species found in the area,
according to the FWC. 

They are native to  India, lower China, the Malay Peninsula and some islands of
the East Indies.

Burmese pythons are considered an invasive species because of their impacts to
native wildlife.  They generally prey on native mammals, reptiles and birds. 

Their non-native status means Burmese pythons are not protected in Florida, so
they can be humanely killed on private property with a landowner’s permission.
They can be captured and humanely killed without a permit or hunting license 32
Commission-managed lands in south Florida all year long, the FWC said. 

More: Florida sinkhole reopens for third time after claiming man's life in 2013




WHAT TO DO IF YOU SPOT A BURMESE PYTHON IN FLORIDA

If you spot a Burmese python in Florida, contact the FWC immediately by calling
the Exotic Species Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1 (888-483-4681), using the free
IveGot1 mobile app or online at IveGot1.org.

Burmese pythons have some pretty distinguishing features, here are some things
to keep in mind if you think you have spotted one. 

 * Length ranges between six and nine feet 
 * Tan in color with dark blotches along the back and sides
 * Blotches resemble puzzle pieces or spots on a giraffe 
 * Pyramid-shaped head with with a dark, arrowhead-shaped wedge extending toward
   the nose 
 * Often found near water 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Largest python snake nest in
Florida history discovered in Everglades




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You know you can slurp down food when your appetite is ravenous. But the Komodo
dragon in the video at the bottom of the page puts any human to shame. This one
scarfs down a whole shark with only a couple of bites!


WHAT DO KOMODO DRAGONS EAT?

Before reaching adulthood, Komodo dragons eat rotting flesh. After they grow
into adults, they can go after larger prey like goats and deer. They also eat
pigs and even eat their own if they can overpower them and fit them in their
large, merciless mouths.

These massive reptiles can grow so big that they take down huge prey like water
buffalo and horses. When kept in zoo environments, their diet is a bit more
conservative. They eat rodents like mice and rats as well as small mammals like
rabbits. Their diet is prepared by staff to ensure they get the meaty foods they
need.




HOW DO KOMODO DRAGONS DIGEST THEIR FOOD?

After surprising their prey and swallowing them whole, the digestive process for
Komodo dragons begins. Since they don’t break their food down into chunks before
consuming it, the digestion process takes several weeks to complete. Komodo
dragons are capable of eating prey that weighs up to 80% of its own body weight!




When they’ve gotten the last bit of a prey animal in their bellies, they go soak
up the sun. With the heat, they help their body’s digestive process. Bacteria
and stomach acid do the dirty work, breaking down the meal the Komodo just ate.
When something isn’t digestible, the dragon vomits a pellet that contains all
those bits it wasn’t able to process.




KOMODO SWALLOWS SHARK WHOLE

When the video below starts, there’s a Komodo dragon front and center and
another dragon in the background. The sound is of the Komodo in the center
scarfing down a shark on the sand. It looks like the water may have receded,
leaving the shark to die and get eaten by the opportunistic dragon.

The Komodo starts with a bite to the shark’s sandy head. In three quick bites,
the Komodo adjusts the limp shark’s body so that it can suck it down like a huge
noodle. After the third bite, it sucks the shark in with another huge bite and
its body starts disappearing into the Komodo’s mouth. Three more bites and all
that’s hanging out is the shark’s tail!




WATCH THE FASCINATING VIDEO BELOW!



> 



The post Watch a Komodo Dragon Shallow a Shark Whole Like It Was an Appetizer
appeared first on AZ Animals.




UP NEXT

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 * Watch This Monster Lizard Hunt a Kangaroo and a Deadly Snake in Australia’s
   Outback
 * Watch This Huge Komodo Dragon Flex Its Power And Swallow A Shark Whole




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