3 men catch monster Burmese python in Florida Everglades. Was it biggest ever captured?
Three hunters recently captured a massive Burmese python in the Florida Everglades.
Zach Hoffman, Jan Gianello and Justice Sargood caught the invasive snake near Everglades City just after midnight on May 31.
The constrictor was so large that Hoffman had to get a bigger tape measure.
"At first we measured with a 15-foot tape measure that we had lying around, and it wasn't long enough," Hoffman said. "Then I took a measurement with a 25-foot tape. When I read the number out loud we couldn't believe it."
First identified in Everglades National Park in 2000, the Burmese python may be the most destructive foreign animal in the park's history.
The massive constrictors can grow to more than 18 feet and weigh over 200 pounds.
Did the trio's catch break the record for the longest python ever captured?
Here's what to know about the behemoth catch and the biggest pythons ever caught in Florida:
Registration for the 2025 Florida Python Challenge — a 10-day event to remove invasive Burmese pythons — is open.
This year's hunt runs from July 11 to July 20, Florida Fish and Wildlife announced May 15.
Participants can win money prizes in several categories, including a $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize.
FWC works with partners and the public to hunt and kill the snakes, including the annual Florida Python Challenge.
The 2025 Florida Python Challenge starts at 12:01 a.m. July 11 and ends at 5 p.m. July 20, Florida Fish and Wildlife announced May 15.
There are $25,000 in cash prizes up for grabs for this year's hunt.
The top prize of $10,000 goes to the person who catches the most pythons. Those with the most catches in the Novice, Professional and Military categories win $2,500, while runners-up in each group receive $1,500, and $1,000 is awarded for the longest pythons caught.
There is no established firearm season during the time of the event. The use of firearms during the competition is prohibited.
Burmese pythons captured in Florida must be humanely killed. While they are not protected in Florida, anti-cruelty law still applies.
Step 1: The method should result in the animal losing consciousness immediately. These tools should result in the immediate loss of consciousness:
Captive bolt
Firearms (not allowed in the Florida Python Challenge and otherwise subject to property-specific and local rules) or pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air guns
Step 2: The animal's brain should be destroyed by 'pithing' which prevents it from regaining consciousness.
The invasive snakes are distributed across more than a thousand square miles in the Everglades and southern Florida. Burmese pythons have been found across the state and are slithering north. They may even reach Georgia.
At 12:30 a.m. on May 31, Zach Hoffman, Jan Gianello and Justice Sargood were on their way home from an uneventful night of python hunting when they decided to check one last spot and spotted a huge Burmese python 'laying halfway on the road, half in the ditch."
Sargood grabbed the python's head and wrestled with it, while Hoffman and Gianello controlled the rest of the snake's body to keep it from coiling too tightly.
➤ 'We couldn't believe it': Giant python wrangled, caught by 3 hunters in Everglades
Once they had control over the large python, it was humanely euthanized.
They attempted to measure the snake with a 15-foot tape measure, but it came up short. A 25-foot tape measure did the trick, and the hunters determined the massive python to be 16 feet, 8 inches long. The hefty snake weighed 105 pounds.
A group of python hunters caught the longest Burmese python ever measured on July 10, 2023, in the Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County.
The monster snake was 19 feet long.
The previous record was held by python hunters Ryan Ausburn and Kevin Pavlidis who captured a python measuring a whopping 18-feet 9-inches in 2020.
In 2013, Jason Leon captured a then-record 18-foot python in southeastern Miami-Dade County. The massive snake weighed 128 pounds.
Licensed python hunter Mike Kimmel, alone on a spoil island in the Florida Everglades, caught a 17-foot python in 2020.
Conservancy of Southwest Florida biologists caught the heaviest Burmese python ever recorded in the Florida Everglades in 2022. The colossal female python weighed an eye-popping 215 pounds and was nearly 18 feet long.
A 198-pound Burmese python was captured in November 2023 in the Big Cypress Preserve, making it the second-heaviest ever caught in the Sunshine State. The massive snake was 17 feet, 2 inches long.
Support local journalism by subscribing to a Florida news organization.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Burmese python caught in Everglades. Is massive snake largest ever?
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20 hours ago
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3 men catch monster Burmese python in Florida Everglades. Was it biggest ever captured?
Three hunters recently captured a massive Burmese python in the Florida Everglades. Zach Hoffman, Jan Gianello and Justice Sargood caught the invasive snake near Everglades City just after midnight on May 31. The constrictor was so large that Hoffman had to get a bigger tape measure. "At first we measured with a 15-foot tape measure that we had lying around, and it wasn't long enough," Hoffman said. "Then I took a measurement with a 25-foot tape. When I read the number out loud we couldn't believe it." First identified in Everglades National Park in 2000, the Burmese python may be the most destructive foreign animal in the park's history. The massive constrictors can grow to more than 18 feet and weigh over 200 pounds. Did the trio's catch break the record for the longest python ever captured? Here's what to know about the behemoth catch and the biggest pythons ever caught in Florida: Registration for the 2025 Florida Python Challenge — a 10-day event to remove invasive Burmese pythons — is open. This year's hunt runs from July 11 to July 20, Florida Fish and Wildlife announced May 15. Participants can win money prizes in several categories, including a $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize. FWC works with partners and the public to hunt and kill the snakes, including the annual Florida Python Challenge. The 2025 Florida Python Challenge starts at 12:01 a.m. July 11 and ends at 5 p.m. July 20, Florida Fish and Wildlife announced May 15. There are $25,000 in cash prizes up for grabs for this year's hunt. The top prize of $10,000 goes to the person who catches the most pythons. Those with the most catches in the Novice, Professional and Military categories win $2,500, while runners-up in each group receive $1,500, and $1,000 is awarded for the longest pythons caught. There is no established firearm season during the time of the event. The use of firearms during the competition is prohibited. Burmese pythons captured in Florida must be humanely killed. While they are not protected in Florida, anti-cruelty law still applies. Step 1: The method should result in the animal losing consciousness immediately. These tools should result in the immediate loss of consciousness: Captive bolt Firearms (not allowed in the Florida Python Challenge and otherwise subject to property-specific and local rules) or pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air guns Step 2: The animal's brain should be destroyed by 'pithing' which prevents it from regaining consciousness. The invasive snakes are distributed across more than a thousand square miles in the Everglades and southern Florida. Burmese pythons have been found across the state and are slithering north. They may even reach Georgia. At 12:30 a.m. on May 31, Zach Hoffman, Jan Gianello and Justice Sargood were on their way home from an uneventful night of python hunting when they decided to check one last spot and spotted a huge Burmese python 'laying halfway on the road, half in the ditch." Sargood grabbed the python's head and wrestled with it, while Hoffman and Gianello controlled the rest of the snake's body to keep it from coiling too tightly. ➤ 'We couldn't believe it': Giant python wrangled, caught by 3 hunters in Everglades Once they had control over the large python, it was humanely euthanized. They attempted to measure the snake with a 15-foot tape measure, but it came up short. A 25-foot tape measure did the trick, and the hunters determined the massive python to be 16 feet, 8 inches long. The hefty snake weighed 105 pounds. A group of python hunters caught the longest Burmese python ever measured on July 10, 2023, in the Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County. The monster snake was 19 feet long. The previous record was held by python hunters Ryan Ausburn and Kevin Pavlidis who captured a python measuring a whopping 18-feet 9-inches in 2020. In 2013, Jason Leon captured a then-record 18-foot python in southeastern Miami-Dade County. The massive snake weighed 128 pounds. Licensed python hunter Mike Kimmel, alone on a spoil island in the Florida Everglades, caught a 17-foot python in 2020. Conservancy of Southwest Florida biologists caught the heaviest Burmese python ever recorded in the Florida Everglades in 2022. The colossal female python weighed an eye-popping 215 pounds and was nearly 18 feet long. A 198-pound Burmese python was captured in November 2023 in the Big Cypress Preserve, making it the second-heaviest ever caught in the Sunshine State. The massive snake was 17 feet, 2 inches long. Support local journalism by subscribing to a Florida news organization. This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Burmese python caught in Everglades. Is massive snake largest ever?
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
FWC chair, Miami-Dade State Attorney texted about Pino boat crash, records show
The head of the state agency that investigated the boat crash that killed a teenage girl texted the Miami-Dade State Attorney several times about the case as they were considering what charges to file against the boat operator, even though he said he was minimally involved in the investigation, according to text messages obtained by the Miami Herald. Rodney Barreto, chair of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle exchanged at least nine texts — mostly in the months after the September 2022 crash — according to the heavily redacted records. The Herald obtained the texts when it requested all discovery materials provided to the defense team of George Pino, 54, who has been charged with felony vessel homicide after slamming his 29-foot Robalo into a concrete marker in Biscayne Bay, leading to the death of 17-year-old Luciana 'Lucy' Fernandez. The State Attorney's Office told the Herald Wednesday night that the messages had been accidentally provided to the Herald and were not turned over in discovery. Texting months after the crash In the first message, dated March 14, 2023 — six months after the crash — Fernandez Rundle texted Barreto, 'May I call you today reference the boat accident?' 'OK,' Barreto responded after he and Fernandez Rundle agreed to speak in 25 minutes. Other parts of the text thread were redacted. Months later, on June 6, 2023, Barreto shared a text with Rundle that he had received from Lucy's father, Andres Fernandez. Fernandez was expressing his frustration with the FWC and State Attorney's Office for not concluding their investigation. By that point — nine months after the crash — Pino hadn't been charged with any crimes. 'It's been close to 3 months since FWC and SAO cancelled our meeting and my understanding was that it was not going to be a significant delay,' the Fernandez text said. 'I'm sorry to bother you with this but I'm really frustrated and out of patience. My family and I need this for closure and no one really cares. Would love to hear your thoughts.' Portions of the text thread were redacted. However, hours later, Barreto texted Fernandez Rundle again: 'Kathy, please call to discuss this.' Joel Denaro, the attorney for Andres and Melissa Fernandez, Lucy's mother, declined to comment on the texts. 'The Fernandez Family is not prepared to make a statement at this time because of the pending criminal litigation and because they need time to process what they are learning,' Denaro told the Herald. On Aug. 1, 2023, Fernandez Rundle texted Barreto, 'GM! Was trying to reach you regarding the boating case.' The other text messages were redacted. Later that month, the State Attorney's Office, working with the FWC, charged Pino with three counts of careless boating in the crash, criminal misdemeanors punishable by up to 60 days in jail for each count. READ MORE: Injured girl's family 'outraged' at minor charges in fatal Florida Keys boat crash probe On May 13, 2024, Barreto texted Fernandez Rundle again, 'He gave consent to remove props and dive the hull,' referencing Pino's consent to search his boat. Fernandez Rundle responded with a thumbs up. The rest of the exchange was redacted. The day after the crash, FWC investigators found 61 empty booze bottles and cans on the boat, which they had pulled from the water after it had capsized in the crash. Pino's attorney, Howard Srebnick, said the empty containers stemmed from five boats tied up that day on Elliott Key, but hasn't disclosed the boaters' names. In a statement Friday morning, the family of Katerina 'Katy' Puig, the now 20-year-old who was seriously injured and is still relearning how to walk after the crash, said they are 'forced to confront the deeply troubling reality that continues to emerge from the handing of this case. 'Katy's parents are still processing these painful recent revelations,' the statement said. 'Their sorrow continues to be compounded by shock, disbelief, and disgust. While we are relieved and grateful that Mr. Pino was finally charged with the appropriate felony—Vessel Homicide—the path to that charge has been littered with incompetence, misconduct and missteps that can only be described as a mockery of justice.' The family is calling on legislators to probe the FWC's investigation of the crash. Barreto: Involved in policy, not investigations On Wednesday, Barreto told the Herald that his involvement in the Pino probe was minimal and said his conversations with Fernandez Rundle mostly involved how the FWC and the State Attorney's Office could work together better on boat cases involving fatalities and serious injuries. At one point, Barreto said he brought FWC's leadership from Tallahassee to meet with Fernandez Rundle's office. Barreto had previously told the Herald his role at the FWC is policy making, not the law enforcement aspect of the agency. FWC police officers investigate boating accidents. 'I do not get in the way of these investigations,' Barreto told the Herald two weeks ago. 'We're gonna call it like it is. We've got no dog in this fight. It doesn't matter who these people are.' Last month, a video surfaced of Barreto speaking on a radio show weeks after the crash and acknowledging to the hosts that he knew Pino personally. Barreto told the Herald that he knows Pino, but not well, and has never spoken with him about the case. Barreto is a Coral Gables developer; Pino is a Doral real estate broker. READ MORE: State Senate confirms Barreto as FWC chair, despite dozens urging senators to block his bid Barreto said he talks to Fernandez Rundle often because they have known each other for decades, since he was a Miami police officer and Fernandez Rundle was a prosecutor under former State Attorney Janet Reno. 'Basically, I've known her my entire adult life,' Barreto said. Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office spokesperson Ed Griffith acknowledged the two have worked together often and said Barreto has also 'often lent the State Attorney his support and voice during the Florida Legislative session.' 'Years of interactions have made State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Chairman Rodney Barreto both friends and effective working associates, so I would naturally expect numerous conversations between the two on a wide range of issues and topics,' Griffith said in a statement to the Herald Wednesday. No sobriety test On the night of the crash, FWC investigators did not give Pino a sobriety test, even though they are trained to do so in boating accidents with serious injuries. Investigators on the scene knew that four of the 14 people on the boat were airlifted as trauma alert patients by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, including Lucy Fernandez, who died the next day in the hospital. In addition, Pino told FWC investigators on the scene that he had 'two beers' that day. The Pinos were celebrating their daughter's 18th birthday and she had invited 11 of her close girlfriends — all underage — to go on the Sept. 4, 2022, outing to Elliott Key in Biscayne Bay. The FWC has maintained it did not have probable cause to get a warrant to force Pino to take a sobriety test. But the FWC could have contacted the State Attorney's Office, which has a prosecutor on call 24/7 to help officers get a search warrant, arrest warrants and court orders in these types of cases. In fact, the second page of a State Attorney Office's slideshow for the FWC on vessel homicides gives the hotline number for the prosecutors. The FWC didn't call. READ MORE: How investigators, prosecutors bungled probe into boat crash that killed teen girl Missing FWC body camera footage In recent weeks, the Herald reported that John Dalton, a Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office detective who was on the scene of the crash, said in a deposition that he suggested that FWC officers test Pino for alcohol that night. 'Well, yes. Obviously, you can do a blood draw,' Dalton told one of the FWC officers on the scene, according to the testimony he gave to a Pino attorney and prosecutor. 'I mean, [Pino's] involved in a crash that has potential for a fatality or serious bodily injury. You can force a blood draw on him with a warrant. And you can take one right now, with exigent circumstances. You have fire-rescue here. It's something you might be able to do right now.' READ MORE: Miami-Dade cop suggested FWC should do alcohol test at Pino boat crash scene, testimony shows The Herald also reported that the body camera footage of four FWC officers who were in close proximity to Pino that night — Julien Gazzola, Keith Hernandez, Hanna Hayden and Jesse Whitt — was deleted. Gazzola told an attorney for Pino that Pino smelled of alcohol, had 'bloodshot eyes' and was disoriented. None of the officers, aside from Gazzola, reported seeing signs that Pino was impaired. The FWC says the officers' footage was deleted after the officers classified it as 'incidental,' not criminal, when they uploaded it into the FWC's computer system. 'Incidental' footage is automatically deleted after 90 days; footage from a criminal investigation has to be retained five years for misdemeanor charges and 13 years for a felony charge, according to the FWC's policy. Rep. Vicki Lopez, the Miami-Dade state House member who sponsored 'Lucy's Law,' which calls for tougher penalties for boat operators in crashes with serious injury starting July 1, has called on her colleagues in the Legislature to investigate how the officers' footage was deleted. Pino was initially charged with three misdemeanors but those charges were upgraded to a felony vessel homicide charge on Oct. 31. The State Attorney's Office reopened its investigation after a Miami-Dade firefighter at the scene came forward and said he observed Pino showing signs of intoxication that day. The firefighter spoke up following a series of Miami Herald articles detailing flaws in the investigation, including FWC officers never following up with eyewitnesses. Pino has pleaded not guilty and is tentatively scheduled to stand trial in September. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Yahoo
2 days ago
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2 motorcyclists injured when they hit a 6-foot alligator on I-4 in Orange City
This story has been updated with new information and to add a video. Two Volusia County motorcyclists and a 6-foot alligator were injured Saturday when the motorcycles struck the gator on Interstate 4 in Orange City, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The crash occurred at approximately 6:08 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-4 in the area of mile marker 110 in Orange City, according to FHP. FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi wrote in an email that while she imagined there have been other accidents involving gators statewide, she was unaware of any others recently in Central Florida. A 67-year-old DeLeon Springs man and a 25-year-old Orange City woman were traveling westbound in the inside lane, which is the closest lane to the median, when they struck the alligator, FHP stated. The impact caused both motorcycles to veer to the left off the highway. The man's motorcycle entered the wood line and struck a tree. The woman's motorcycle left the roadway but did not go as far as the wood line. The man was riding a 2022 Suzuki GSX-R1000R and the woman was riding a 2021 Kawasaki Ninja 650. Both riders were transported to HCA Lake Monroe Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was called to help with the injured gator. FWC spokesman Chad Weber said the gator was about 6 feet long. He said the FWC called a trapper to remove the gator and the trapper would decide what to do with the gator, including whether to euthanize it. Weber said it's not unusual for an alligator to seek the warmth of a road since the pavement retains heat from the day's sunlight. He said he lives in Lake County and he occasionally sees gators on roads. He said for more information about alligators, people could check the commission's website at The crash remains under investigation. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 2 bikers hit gator on I-4 in Orange City, all 3 injured
