Saved from a huge python attack with only seconds to spare

A video circulating on social media showing a group of friends hanging out by a river and interrupted by an unwelcome ‘visitor’ has gone viral. Although the origins of the video are unknown, it has attracted many viewers due to its startling content: a group of men taking a dip when a large python makes its presence known, indicating they are encroaching on its territory. In the video, one man is struck from behind by the snake and is sent flying into the water. This prompts his friends to look back at where he was sitting and quickly move away from the reptile as fast as they can.

The group reacted how many of us would, and some smartly tried to use the tree branches to swing across the river to safety. The exact location of the video remains unknown, as it has been reshared widely across the internet.

How dangerous are pythons?

Python is not a single species of snake, but rather a genus (Python) that comprises ten different species. These snakes are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Eastern Hemisphere, with their natural range spanning across Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and parts of Oceania. Some species, like the Burmese python, thrive in wetlands and marshes, while others, such as the ball python, prefer drier savanna or scrubland habitats.

The genus is characterized by the fact that pythons are non-venomous; they do not kill their prey with a poisonous bite. Instead, they are constrictors: they kill by coiling their muscular bodies tightly around their prey and suffocating it before swallowing it whole. However, fatal attacks on humans are rare.

Do any pythons live in the United States?

Although pythons are not native to the United States, there is a sizable population of Burmese pythons in South Florida, particularly in the Everglades, where they are considered an invasive species. The large reptiles were introduced to the US in the late 20th century as pets, but as some eventually escaped captivity, their population began to grow in areas where they could find a suitable habitat.

The US Geological Survey reports that the species represents “one of the most concerning invasive species in the area.”

“Pythons compete with native wildlife for food, which includes mammals, birds, and other reptiles,” warned the agency, adding that pythons have been linked to decreases in the mammal population in Everglades National Park. The USGS highlighted a 2012 report that found that since 1997, the populations of raccoons and opossums had decreased by around 99 percent, and that of bobcats had fallen by around 87.5 percent. During that period, the populations of “marsh rabbits, cottontail rabbits, and foxes effectively disappeared” as well.

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