Ian Bartoszek (right) and research partner Ian Easterling hold up a large female python located by tracking one of their male scout snakes. These male pythons are used to help locate the big females ...

Across South Florida, giant snakes that once seemed like exotic escapees are now entrenched residents, reshaping ecosystems ...

The Burmese python remains one of the most prominent invasive species in Florida. With no natural predators in the area, their numbers continue to rise, and so does their effect on the environment.

Burmese pythons are among the largest snakes in the world. Adult animals average between 10 and 16 feet long, according to the University of Florida. The large, nonvenomous constrictor snakes are ...