The Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) ranks among the largest snake species globally, known for its sheer length and girth. While tales of enormous snakes circulate, official measurements of pythons caught in the wild provide concrete evidence of their maximum size. The largest documented captures yield two distinct record-holders: one for length and one for weight, both found within the invasive population in the United States.
The Official Record Holder
The longest Burmese Python ever officially captured measured 19 feet (5.79 meters). This immense female was caught on July 10, 2023, by python hunters in the Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida, eclipsing the previous length record by three inches. Although record-setting for length, this specimen weighed 125 pounds. The capture was measured and documented by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s python research team.
The record for the heaviest python belongs to a different female, captured in June 2022, which weighed 215 pounds. This snake measured nearly 18 feet long and was found by biologists in the Everglades. The extreme weight was partly due to the 122 developing eggs found inside the snake during necropsy, which set a record for the highest clutch size documented. Researchers also discovered her last meal had been an adult white-tailed deer.
Typical Size of the Species
The sheer size of these record-holders is better understood when compared to the average adult Burmese Python. This species exhibits significant sexual dimorphism, meaning females are generally longer and considerably heavier than males. Wild individuals typically average around 12 to 16 feet in length, though specimens exceeding 16 feet are rare.
A mature female often falls within a weight range of 30 to 165 pounds, depending on feeding success and whether she is gravid. Males are much smaller, with an average length between 8 and 14 feet and a maximum weight that rarely exceeds 40 pounds. The 215-pound record-holder is an exceptional outlier, weighing far more than the average maximum for a mature female.
Why Massive Burmese Pythons Are Captured
The vast majority of documented large python captures occur in South Florida as part of ongoing ecological management efforts. Burmese pythons are an invasive species, initially introduced through the pet trade, and they have become established in the Everglades and surrounding areas. The presence of these large predators has been linked to a severe decline in native mammal populations throughout the region.
State-run programs and conservation groups actively seek to remove these snakes to mitigate their environmental impact. Researchers often use male pythons implanted with radio transmitters, known as “scout snakes,” to locate the larger reproductive females during breeding season. Targeting these large females is an important strategy because removing them prevents the laying of large clutches of eggs, disrupting the population’s reproductive cycle.