MIAMI (NewsNation) — Jake Waleri is on the hunt for his next big catch, with the spreading of pythons and the potential presence of approximately one million in Florida, according to studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Waleri, 22, recently caught a historic 19-foot-long Burmese python, one of the longest snakes of its kind the state has ever seen.
NewsNation accompanied Waleri and his Glades Boys Python Adventures team as they ventured into the Everglades. Within the first hour, they made their first catch of the night.
“That’s the craziest scar tissue I’ve ever seen on a python,” Waleri said.
He explained the four-foot python they captured is just a year old. After taking a few pictures, the team places it in a bag and returns to their truck.
“So we’re going to put his body in first. Then the head, and then you reach all the way down and take it out quickly and then you can zip this thing up pretty quick.”
They move on to the next target. Shortly after, they come across a cottonmouth snake. Although it’s not the python they’re searching for, it’s part of their experience when hunting in the Everglades.
“They take down a lot of native wildlife out here. Take a lot of food for them to get that big,” Waleri said.
No one knows better than airboat captain Bill Ferris, whose office is in the Everglades.
“When you have a python that’s 18 feet that can eat a gator 10 feet long, you can eat anything; you’re the packman of the Everglades,” he said.
Ferris credits hunters like Waleri for wrestling Florida’s python problem.
When it comes to hunting at night, despite their size, pythons are extremely difficult to spot.
“They have really good camouflage for the Everglades,” Waleri said.
The potential profit isn’t particularly enticing, hunters can earn $50 for snakes that are up to 4 feet long, then $25 for a foot after that. Even if they decide to sell the snake’s skin, the earnings still aren’t substantial. Hence, many individuals who undertake this profession are driven by their passion for reptiles or their dedication to mitigating the python issue in the area.
“It’s kind of a dream come true and I get to handle big reptiles and I feel like I’m making a difference,” Waleri said.
