Florida scientists are using opossums to secretly track invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades-and it's working.

Scientists found a shocking way to track Florida's invasive pythons: let the snakes swallow GPS-collared opossums.

Burmese pythons can also swallow much bigger prey, due to their ability to open their flexible jaws even wider than their bodies. This includes larger mammals — such as raccoons, bobcats, and even full-sized whitetail deer — along with other reptiles and all kinds of birds.

Generally, there is a belief that reptiles completely depend on their surroundings for their existence, especially for reproduction. Some species, how.

Carl Jackson caught a nearly 17-ft long Burmese python weighing over 200lbs as part of an effort to rid Florida of the invasive snake.

Rachael has a degree in Zoology from the University of Southampton, and specializes in animal behavior, evolution, palaeontology, and the environment. Rachael has a degree in Zoology from the University of Southampton, and specializes in animal behavior ...

When it comes to food consumption, snakes skip the whole chewing bit and swallow their meals whole. But sometimes their eyes are bigger than their stomachs, and the prey comes right back up. This startling Instagram video shows what appears to be a python regurgitating a full-sized bird.

Here's what we know about the 2026 Florida Python Challenge, how the yearly hunt works and a little bit about last year's winner.