A South Florida snake wrangler has captured the largest reticulated python ever measured in Puerto Rico following a local report that the invasive reptile was attempting to prey on a domestic cat.
Kevin Pavlidis, widely known online as “Snakeaholic,” traveled to Puerto Rico alongside team members and local hunting partners from Proyectos Retic to address the island’s growing population of non-native constrictors. The operation was launched after homeowners spotted a large python attempting to strangle a pet cat. Although the residents successfully intervened and scared the snake away before the hunting team arrived, Pavlidis deployed his tracking skills to locate the animal.
Moving into the nearby jungle, Pavlidis tracked the serpent down in approximately 20 minutes. Initially catching sight of only a few inches of white skin on its chin, he quickly realized the animal was unusually large. The team wrestled the snake back to the street, where an on-camera measurement confirmed it stretched 18 feet and 4 inches long. Photographs from the scene show eight individuals holding the massive python aloft.
By comparison, the longest measured reticulated python on record is a 23-foot, 8-inch female known as “The Baroness,” or Ibuan, originating from the Maros region of South Sulawesi in Indonesia. Unverified historical accounts have previously claimed even greater lengths.
Pavlidis, who has spent nine years tracking invasive Burmese pythons in Florida and built a reputation for handling large constrictors, stated that he welcomed the challenge of mastering a new species and its distinct behavior. Alongside his local partners, he aims to curb an invasive population that experts believe began expanding across the island approximately 25 years ago.
While Puerto Rico is roughly one-fifteenth the size of Florida, the island’s python situation presents distinct challenges compared to the Everglades. According to Pavlidis, while Florida’s Burmese pythons primarily inhabit remote swamps and rarely appear in residential dwellings, Puerto Rico’s reticulated pythons frequently approach human settlements, often drawn to chicken coops and domestic pets.
Conservationists and handlers emphasize that removing breeding-age females is critical to slowing population growth. Large reticulated pythons are capable of laying clutches ranging from 20 to 100 eggs, with larger females frequently producing between 40 and 80 eggs at a time. Wildlife advocates note that these invasive predators pose a severe threat to Puerto Rico’s native ecosystem, mirroring ecological pressures seen in other regions grappling with non-native constrictor species.
