College students capture 17-foot-long python in Collier County

It comes just in time for the start of the ‘Python Challenge’, a statewide effort to eradicate the invasive snake from the Florida Everglades.

In a chaotic scene captured on video in a remote part of Collier County, Jake Waleri and his two friends are seen wrangling the 17-foot-long snake.

“The middle of the Everglades, people are commuting between Miami and Naples, and I see this thing blocking the road. I just started screaming, I saw the head move and I knew it was a giant python,” Waleri said.

What they found could be one of the largest burmese pythons ever caught by amateurs, just 2 days before the start of the python challenge.

“I made sure I got on the head, Jake got on the back of the body. We just had to fight her for a couple minutes,” said Stephen Gauta, who caught the snake.

Unlike trappers contracted through FWC or the South Florida Water Management District, Jake and his friends weren’t paid to catch it, they did it for fun.

“I’m hoping we have a state record for an amateur catch, its pretty rare for someone to go out there not contracted by the state and find something this big,” Waleri said.

On Friday morning, Florida kicked off the 2022 Python Challenge, which offers cash to professionals and amateurs alike to remove snakes from Florida’s public lands.

“Catching a large invasive snake like this underscores the importance of management of efforts like the 2022 Python Challenge, which began today.” said Officer Adam Brown from FWC. “Fantastic catch though, it’s helping the environment so it’s a great thing they’ve done.”

A massive snake of this size when removed from Florida’s environment, gives other native animals a fighting chance.

“We were just happy to catch a snake like this, had it been 2 days later, it would have been a nice payday, but I’m just glad to be out there with these boys and we got it done. We got another big one out of the glades so I am excited,” Waleri said.