Python On The Loose In South Tampa

A python is on the loose in South Tampa, so if you’re out walking your dog, you may wanna take extra caution. Make sure you check your surroundings. It isn’t a Burmese Python, but a Ball Python. The Ball Python is non-native to Florida and was spotted in the South Tampa Belmar Gardens neighborhood last week. A resident was walking his dog when he noticed something strange and didn’t know what it was because it was camouflage. He told WFLA, “I wasn’t that scared, but just surprised, so I took a picture in a couple of videos, and it was completely motionless. The dogs didn’t really notice it, but it noticed us.“

So, with a python on the loose in South Tampa make sure you look closer at your surroundings. The person said it was motionless and blended into the environment. It is most likely that the ball python with someone’s pet that I’ve gotten out of or was abandoned by the homeowner. All pythons are non-venomous and usually eat small mammals.

The big difference between Ball and Burmese Pythons is that Ball Pythons only reach 4-5 feet on average. Burmese Pythons can get to lengths of over 15 feet and they may exceed 22 feet.

Burmese Pythons are an invasive species in Florida. They are native to Southeast Asia but we were released into the wild in the 1980's and their population has grown ever since. They can grow up to 20 feet long and they are Apex predators. That means that they are at the top of the food chain and they pray on animals like birds and reptiles. Pythons have been devastating Florida's ecosystem. The population of raccoons opossum and bobcats have declined by over 90% in some areas of the Everglades. The FWC has a program to control the population. The python challenge is one of those programs.

According to AZ Animals the population of Burmese Pythons in the state of Florida is over 300,000. That number rises every year. The largest python ever captured in Florida was over 18 feet long.

There are a lot of dangerous animals in Florida. But if you ever wondered what the most dangerous are? This list was put together by A-Z Animals. Between 1999 and 2019 only 247 people in Florida died as a result of an animal attack. Florida ranks as the third deadliest state in the United States for animal attacks. Texas is number one with 520 and California is number two with 299. Those findings come from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

So, what is the first animal that you think of when you think dangerous in Florida? You probably think of the Alligator, but that isn’t the number one overall dangerous animal in Florida. The Great White Shark is the most dangerous animal in Florida. While not on the land in Florida Great White Sharks swim the waters around the state of Florida. Back in 2020 Florida had 16 shark bites on record. Second was Hawaii with only five.

The dangerous animals in Florida that didn’t make the top five are some that you may have thought could’ve been higher. Firstly, number six on the list is the Black Widow Spider followed by the Florida Panther. The Florida Panther is the state animal. It was chosen in 1982 by a vote of students throughout the state. Following the Florida Panther on the list is the Wild Boar. You can find the Wild Boar in all 67 counties of Florida. Their estimated population is over half a million.

Next is the Timber Rattlesnake. It is also known as the canebreak rattlesnake and it is a species of pit viper. The Timber Rattlesnake has a Chevron pattern and a stripe running down its body. Finally, coming in number 10 on the list is the American Crocodile. They are found along the coast of Florida as north as the Hillsborough/Pasco County border on the west side of Florida.

Below, you can find the top five most dangerous animals in Florida.

Yes, Great White Sharks are found in the waters around Florida. A almost 1,200 pound shark that was almost 13 feet in length was tracked back in March of this year.

#1 and #2 on the list are sharks. They are in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They grow to about 11 feet and can live about 24 years.

Alligators live in all 67 counties in Florida. You can find alligators in any body of water including lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made canals. We've seen multiple reports this year of gator attacks, even some fatal ones.

They are found in pine flatwoods, longleaf pine and turkey oak hammocks, sand pine scrub areas, and coastal barrier islands. Yes it is venomous.

It is venomous and can be found throughout Florida. It is called a cottonmouth because of the white color of the inside of its mouth.