Burmese pythons are now considered established in parts of Charlotte County

Burmese pythons are considered to be established in a portion of western Charlotte County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

FWC said that staff and volunteers, along with staff from partnering agencies, have been working to remove pythons in Charlotte County for several years and routinely monitor and survey pythons in Lee and Charlotte counties.

From 2015 to 2025, FWC received 63 verified or credible reports of Burmese pythons, mostly within the townships of Rotonda West, Placida, Englewood East, and South Gulf Cove, the agency said. FWC saw a spike in python reports in 2020, which caused it to increase surveys in those areas for pythons.

In 2024, FWC spoke with Gulf Coast News and reported noticing Burmese pythons moving further north into Charlotte County, and the risks associated with the snakes being found outside of their established living area.

"Being a novel predator in that environment is absolutely devastating to the local native species," regional director Tom Reinert said.

In 2023, officials said they found four baby snakes in Charlotte County.

Burmese pythons tend to be between 10 and 16 feet long and, on average, weigh up to 200 pounds, according to the National Zoo.

According to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the longest Burmese python ever captured in the state was 19 feet long. The heaviest weighed 215 pounds.

Burmese pythons are not venomous and are instead constrictors, which wrap around their prey to kill it.

FWC said there is no indication that the Burmese pythons in the area are a result of natural migration and are likely escaped or released captive animals.

Burmese pythons are also considered established from just south of Lake Okeechobee to Key Largo, from western Broward County west to Collier County, FWC said.

FWC encourages residents to report sightings of Burmese pythons and other nonnative snakes to the Invasive Species Hotline at 888-IVE-GOT1 (888-483-4681).

Members of the public in the Charlotte County area can also get involved in python surveys by filling out this form and including the statement "Charlotte County python surveys."