A hunter in Florida recently set a record, claiming a Burmese python that measured seventeen feet and five inches.

A hunter in Florida recently set a record, claiming a Burmese python that measured seventeen feet and five inches, reports UPI. He did so as part of the state's Python Elimination Program, which seeks to aid the survival of indigenous Everglades animals by thinning out the invasive reptiles' population.  Other than well-equipped humans, the snakes face no significant threat to their survival or ability to take over the area and further disrupt the Everglades' ecosystem.  The South Florida Water Management District notes that "python hunters have now eliminated 1,859 of the invasive snakes on District lands, stretching a combined length of more than two miles and collectively weighing more than 11 tons."  Program participants are paid hourly for their efforts and given bonuses that vary based on the catch.