9-Foot Burmese Python Found in Vero Beach Backyard

Vero Beach, FL (AHN) – A Vero Beach neighborhood had an unwanted visitor Tuesday night. Neighbors discovered a 9-foot long Burmese Python in the backyard of a Vero Lakes Estates home.

Indian River Care and Control took custody of the cake however it will eventually be turned over to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Officials believe the snake either escaped from a home or was released into the wild by its owner.

This isn’t the first time a big non indigenous species of snake was found in the area. A animal control spokesman says several big snakes have been found in the county over the past three years, with the largest being 16-feet-long.

Animal control says the release of exotic pets into the wild is a growing problem in the South Florida region. Pet owners often ditch their animals thinking they can survive and fend for themselves. However, the problem is by doing this the balance of the ecosystem is negatively affected and sometimes the former pets make their way into human habitats.

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