When is the best time to see a Burmese Python?

Burmese Python

Python bivittatus

Safety note: Non-venomous but a powerful constrictor; large individuals are dangerous - observe from a distance and never handle.

One of the largest snakes on Earth, the Burmese Python became an accidental apex predator of the Everglades after escaped and released pets took hold in the 1980s. Perfectly camouflaged in the sawgrass, it can swallow prey as large as deer and alligators, and its spread has gutted the marsh's populations of raccoons, rabbits, and wading birds. Spotting one in the wild is rare, unsettling, and a front-row look at one of America's most consequential invasions.

Habitat

Sawgrass marsh, levees, and wetlands of the Everglades and South Florida; invasive

Diet

Mammals and birds, up to the size of deer and alligators

How common

Very rare

Best time to see a Burmese Python

The best time to see a Burmese Python is June–November, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 638 research-grade iNaturalist observations.