FLORIDA, USA — A man in the Everglades wrangled a 17-foot-long python under the moonlight on a dirty road in the Everglades over the weekend. Have you heard of anything more like a Florida man?
Matthew Kogo, 49, is a python hunter for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission who wrestled with the enormous snake. He posted a video to his Instagram, recorded by his wife, of him grabbing the animal's neck and constantly switching his hands, twisting and turning with the animal to "wrangle the monster."
The video, shot by his wife Michelle, shows him on a dirt road with a headlight on his forehead, concentrating on trying to let the python tire itself out. The animal is seen wrapping itself around his legs, arms and trying to tangle him up.
"Make no mistake, you will still need a good bit of strength and experience to wrangle a monster, get help if you can (seriously, you will want help), but if you stay focused and intentional, working smarter not harder, you can get the beast more safely under control," he said in the post.
Kogo said he took his time to enjoy the moment as he sat on the dirt, holding the python that was wrapped around his body.
"Spend some time with a serpent, before snatching it up and pulling it out of the Glades. This is quality time," he said in another video he posted with the snake.
Burmese pythons are an invasive species in Florida found primarily in and around the Everglades. They average between 6 to 9 feet long, making this one very big.
They have few predators, which make them a problem to local species because they prey on native species and reduce their populations. They also can consume threatened or endangered species, according to the commission. Sometimes they even prey on cats and dogs.
The state holds an annual challenge to control the species in August. This year's competition starts at midnight on Aug. 9 and ends on Aug. 18. The goal for participants is to bag the most Burmese pythons possible.
Participants must complete required online training and follow a specific set of rules, including humanely killing the snakes in the designated competition areas.
If wrangling snakes isn't your thing, you can still help the FWC combat invasive species by reporting sightings to the Invasive Species Hotline at 888-IVE-GOT1 (888-483-4681) or online.