Doomsday101
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 107,762
- Reaction score
- 39,034
POSTED: Wednesday, July 1, 2009
UPDATED: 11:36 am EDT July 1, 2009
OXFORD, Fla. -- A 2-year-old girl was strangled Wednesday morning by a pet python at a Sumter County home, according to sheriff's officials.
INTERACTIVE: Map | PICS: Recent Python Invasion
The fatal incident occurred just after 10 a.m. at a residence in the 1500 block of county Road 466 in Oxford, which is located about 60 miles northwest of Orlando.
It's not known if the pet snake got loose before killing the girl.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, pythons are a nonnative species to Florida, although some Burmese pythons have been found in parts of Florida.
An invasion of giant Burmese pythons in South Florida that made national headlines last year was "rapidly expanding" and could reach Central Florida, according to a University of Florida study.
"There's no part of this state that you can point at and say that pythons couldn't live here," researcher Frank Mazzotti said. "They're capable of incredible movement -- and in a relatively short period."
Most of the pythons were brought over as pets and then turned loose in the wild, he said.
Anyone who comes across a python is urged to call wildlife officials at 888-404-FWCC.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
UPDATED: 11:36 am EDT July 1, 2009
OXFORD, Fla. -- A 2-year-old girl was strangled Wednesday morning by a pet python at a Sumter County home, according to sheriff's officials.
INTERACTIVE: Map | PICS: Recent Python Invasion
The fatal incident occurred just after 10 a.m. at a residence in the 1500 block of county Road 466 in Oxford, which is located about 60 miles northwest of Orlando.
It's not known if the pet snake got loose before killing the girl.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, pythons are a nonnative species to Florida, although some Burmese pythons have been found in parts of Florida.
An invasion of giant Burmese pythons in South Florida that made national headlines last year was "rapidly expanding" and could reach Central Florida, according to a University of Florida study.
"There's no part of this state that you can point at and say that pythons couldn't live here," researcher Frank Mazzotti said. "They're capable of incredible movement -- and in a relatively short period."
Most of the pythons were brought over as pets and then turned loose in the wild, he said.
Anyone who comes across a python is urged to call wildlife officials at 888-404-FWCC.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
