Austin: “This is terrible terrain to move through.
This guy’s mad!
He’s got a temper.
Ah!
Nearly lost it that time.
Nearly lost it.”
My name is Austin Stevens.
I’ve spent my entire life photographing dangerous animals.
Austin: “Don’t want to get into this water.”
This time I’m after one of the biggest snakes in America.
Austin: “I just can’t do this anymore.”
This is Miami Florida.
I’ve come here in pursuit of an alien invader.
Just miles from here, in the famous Florida Everglades, a giant intruder is taking over.
Austin: “When you think about the top predator in
the Florida Everglades, you automatically think about the American alligator.
However, there might be a new predator in town.”
A predator capable of swallowing an entire alligator.
Whole.
A predator that can grow longer than this boat.
A predator that by rights shouldn’t even be here.
Austin: “A giant Burmese python, one of the biggest
snakes in the world, has been introduced into this area by the pet trade.
Some of these snakes have escaped; others have been released into the wild and they’re
growing in numbers.”
Dumped by pet owners when they grow too big to keep, Burmese pythons are thriving in the
Florida Everglades.
They can grow up to twenty-five feet long.
And they are one of the only snakes that can - and do - eat human beings.
Once it grabs hold, a python wraps around its victim’s body – tightening its coils
until the prey suffocates.
Then it swallows it.
Whole.
This silent eating machine has moved straight to the top of the Everglades food chain.
Austin: “I’m on a mission to find a Burmese python.
I want to see exactly how they are flourishing here in the Florida Everglades – what they’re
eating and how they’re surviving.
I’d also like to photograph this great predator.”
To give myself the best chance of finding a Burmese python, I’m heading for an area
that’s close enough to the city for animals to have been released, but deep enough into
the wilderness to suit them.
An area covering 4000 square miles of swamp and forest.
Places perfect for pythons.
But it’s not just twenty-foot snakes I need to worry about.
This whole area is dominated by a second deadly predator.
And it’s another killer reptile.
The American alligator.
These giant lizards can grow sixteen feet long and weigh up to one thousand pounds.
And they’re every bit as dangerous as the python.
So you’d think the last thing I’d want to do is get closer to the water…
Austin: “As comfortable as it is, this boat is just
too big and noisy to take further into the Everglades.
The snakes I’m looking for would easily be spooked by it.
I’m gonna do the rest of my journey in the canoe.”
It’s not just that I need to be able to creep up on a python.
Believe it or not, this is actually the dry season so the waterways are shallow.
Austin: “There’s animal life everywhere.
You can hear the birds all the time, there’s insects wherever you look and every now and
then, you see a snake or a lizard.”
These saltwater mangroves are the outer limit of the python’s range here in Florida.
But there’s plenty for them to feed on.
And it’s not long before I hear something that would be of definite interest to a python.
Austin: “Look at this, it’s a possum.
Wow, look at his nose.
You see all the scratches on his nose?
This is so typical of an animal with a long snout, because they’re always sticking their
snouts into places and they do get into fights with other possums.
So they get scratched on the nose and they get cuts from wood and, the older they get,
the more scar-faced they usually are.
And look at his tail.
He’s actually got a prehensile tail, which helps him for climbing and this is a good
example here.
He’s just hanging on here.
He’s balancing on that branch and he’s got his tail hooked around here, just making
sure he doesn’t go over the edge.
Woah.
He’s not running away from me, but he’s just standing on guard; just making sure I
don’t come too close.
Ooh, what a beautiful boy.
This is actually the only marsupial found in North America, which means that the female
actually raises her young in a pouch on her tummy.
And this is potential food for the Burmese python.
No question about it.
Warm-blooded furry animal like this definitely python food.
Keep away from Burmese pythons.”
It’s no wonder the python is thriving here.
They’ve adapted well to the local food supply.
And the climate is hot and humid – just like it is back in Asia.
Austin: “The success of the Burmese python in the
Florida Everglades has taken everyone by surprise.
It’s estimated that there are tens of thousands of these snakes.
The situation has become so serious that even if I find one, I’m not allowed to return
it to the wild.”
Any exotic snakes found here in the Everglades must be handed in.
They are used to help with research.
But I’m working with a reptile sanctuary that will give any snake I find a good home.
Austin: “This waterway’s taking me further inland,
away from the coastal mangroves.
It’s getting very shallow.
Still dry season stuff here.
Lots of mosquitoes; there’s mosquitoes everywhere.
Spiders as well.”
I’m heading for the fresh water swamps of the north Everglades – that’s where I’m
going to concentrate my python search.
But some serious challenges lie in wait for me there.
Heading north, I make it through the mangroves and arrive on the edge of a massive sawgrass
marsh.
Sawgrass is one of the oldest green plants on earth and it gives the Everglades its nickname
– ‘The River of Grass.’
Because this whole area is actually a slow running river - moving at a rate of just half
a mile a day.
I’m paddling against the flow – up river and into the heart of the Everglades.
That’s where I hope to find a python.
Austin: “Sawgrass seems to be endless.
It just goes on and on.
It’s tough stuff.
Gets its name from the serrated edges.
See if I can actually get a saw for you.
If you handle it correctly, you can actually work with it.
The serrated edges go that way.
So if you pull your hands down that way, it can cut you.
It can cut through flesh, cut through cloth.
You gotta be very careful when you work with this stuff.
You can’t just grab it and go.
Pretty dangerous.
And more than that, it’s so thick over here, there can be gators hiding anywhere here.
They move through the sawgrass; they negotiate it and they have holes here all over the place.
Pretty dangerous area, this.”
And it’s not just alligators in the water.
Pythons are semi-aquatic and can stay submerged for up to half an hour.
Despite these two top predators being so well camouflaged, it’s only a matter of minutes
before I spot something.
Austin: ”There’s a gator lying
just here.
It’s just like he hasn’t seen me.
This would be something I’d like to photograph.
He spotted me.
He’s going!
I can get him!
I’ve got him!
I’ve got him!
He keeps swimming!
This is not what I had in mind for photography.
But I didn’t want him to get away.
I thought I got just a chance.
God, I would never tackle a gator normally.
He’s already a big guy.
He’s quite a big guy.
Look at that.
He’s not so small.
I would never touch anything bigger than this with my naked bare hands, that’s for sure.
Ah, isn’t he fantastic though?
I mean, just look at that.
And for the moment, he’s playing possum.
That’s exactly what he’s doing.
They do this.
If you’ve got him and he feels he’s got, he’s being trapped, he’s just gonna hold
still for a bit.
But at any moment, he could just start wriggling again.
So as soon as I let go and relax a bit, I’m gonna be in trouble.
So I’m gonna just keep him, keep him tight.
He’s in good shape too.
He’s obviously been feeding well.
Look at the thickness of his tail, the solid in there.
I mustn’t let go of both hands.
Wow, he’s gorgeous.”
Austin: “You can easily and clearly see now how
round the nose is.
And that’s the way you tell the fist most obvious sign of how to tell the difference
between an alligator and a crocodile.
Alligators have got replaceable teeth.
I mean, there’s a new tooth coming up all the time, constantly replacing the old.
The top ones just drop off and they replace them.
Hundreds and hundreds of teeth get replaced throughout their lifetime, possibly thousands.
It’s estimated that they can slam their jaws closed with tremendous power.
They don’t open them so easily.
You can actually hold their jaws closed, but they slam them closed with about three-thousand
pounds of pressure per square inch.
It’s incredible.
So you never, never get your arm or any part of your body near a big gator.
Well up to this time in the Everglades, these guys have been the big predators, the main
predators, the kings of the swamp.
That might be changing now.
These Burmese pythons grow really big.
Burmese pythons are doing well in the swamp, a large Burmese python of only about fourteen,
fifteen foot would eat this guy for breakfast no problem at all.
And as they get bigger, they can take bigger alligators as well.”
Austin: “Okay I’d like to get some pictures of
him still.
So let’s bring him up a bit, he’s been pretty well behaved.
Just hold on.
Look at the size of him.
Big gate, it’s quite a big gator as this.
Quite a big gator.
Now we’re lucky; he’s being cool.
But I know he can freak out at any minute and just go mad and loosen himself.
And I gotta watch out for that.
That’s why, keep my arm, there he goes.
That’s not good to have only one arm on his neck.
Are you okay?
I’m gonna sneak over to the canoe.
If I can just reach my camera, I’ll still get a few shots.
Okay.
My camera’s not far.
You’re okay, boy.
Okay.
I’m gonna reach out.
I would just love to get some shots of this guy.
I mean, I’ve got my own alligator right in my hands.
There we go.
That’s it.
Come on.
Come on.
I’m scared I’ll drop the camera.
So I’ll just hold it like this.
Let me get your head.
I wanna see your face.
I’m taking a chance now because I’m messing around.
Come on, open.
That’s it.
Look at that.
I can actually get a few shots.
Fantastic.
He’s been pretty well behaved, I must say.
Get one more from the side.
Oh, that’s fantastic.
That looks great.
It looks like he’s looking at me, straight out of the swamp.”
Austin: “Nice shot.
Eh?
Nice shot.
I’m tempted to hold him by the tail and let him swim, because that would be great.
But I know what’s gonna happen.
He’s gonna make a break and I’ll never hold him.
He’ll be one in the swamp.
Okay.
It looks really nice.
Should I do it, I ask myself?
If I’m gonna hold his tail only, he’s gonna go.
He’s gonna go!
Oh, oh God.
I’ve lost my gator.
That’s it.
I found him in the swamp; he’s taken off into the swamp.”
Time for me to take off too.
To maximize my chances of finding a python I’ve got to cover a lot of ground.
I’m in the north Everglades heading for Miccosukee land.
The Miccosukee are a native American tribe who used to live right here in the middle
of this massive fresh water swamp.
I’ve arranged to meet with Billy – a Miccosukee native who knows this area well.
Austin: “Hey!”
Billy: “Hello.”
Austin: “Hi.”
Sure enough he has a lead for me.
Billy: “I’d be more than welcome to take you.”
Austin: “That would be fantastic.
Might I come aboard?”
Billy: “Yes.”
Austin: “Oh, great.
Excellent.”
The fastest way to get to this potential python site is on Billy’s airboat.
And I like the look of it.
Austin: “Do you think I can drive your boat?”
Billy: “Have you ever drove one?”
Austin: “No, never driven one before.
Can I try?”
Billy: “Yes.”
Austin: “Okay, let’s do it.”
We’re heading for a gator hole – a small water oasis popular with wildlife in the dry
season.
Pythons are opportunistic feeders – eating whenever they find food.
So a gator hole is a very good place to search.
Gliding at speed over the water with next-to-no effort makes a welcome change.
Austin: “Really fantastic, driving an airboat.
It takes you a little while to get used to it, but better than paddling that canoe.
I had to actually push my way through the sawgrass.
These machines go straight over everything.
They have a totally flat bottom.
They’re very noisy and you don’t want to do it for too long, but it’s the only
way to get through here.
Keep heading straight, what do you think?”
Billy: “Yes.”
Austin: “A hundred per cent.
Okay, let’s go.”
It’s a good job Billy’s here to guide me.
I can’t tell one patch of sawgrass from the next.
But Billy’s navigating this lancscape like it’s signposted.
And it’s not long before we arrive.
Austin: “This is the perfect example of a gator
hole.
Probably generations of gators have slowly hollowed this out, right out to Bedrock.
Could be ten or eleven or twelve or more feet deep.
And when the water gets low around this area, when the dry season is in its peak, this could
still hold a lot of water.
And that’s a great attraction for other animals.
Any kind of animal, fish and everything, can survive here.
You never know, the Burmese python I’m looking for could also be here.
Those snakes are good in the water and they can go down deep and they can stay under for
half an hour.
So it’s always wise for me to take a chance and scoop around a little bit and check it
out.
I might just find something interesting.
I put this little machine together just for such an occasion.
This’ll tell me also just how deep it is over here.”
Austin: “Just as I thought; it’s really deep.
You never know what you might bring up.
This is a haven for alligators.
Oh, there’s either a gator or something down here moving, ‘cause he just pulled
right out from under the stick.
Yeah, there he goes.
Whatever I’ve got here is big; it’s heavy.
I see its back.
Oh, it’s a turtle.
I’ve got a turtle.
Oh man, look at the size of this.
This is not just any turtle; this is a Florida snapping turtle.
Wow.
These guys get really big, sometimes up to forty pounds or more.
Is he enormous or what?
He’s gorgeous; he’s fantastic.
Let me just put him down for one second.
I want to get this net out of the way, so I can work here.
I don’t want him to take off.
If he takes off like a shot, he’s gonna be gone back.
And I first want to have a good look at him.
He’s got some stuff in his mouth.
Look at the claws on this guy.
These guys are mean predators, let me tell you.
They ‘re powerful predators.
Watch how he’s pushing against my hands here.
I don’t want my hands to get too close to that mouth.
They grab hold of something and these guys can eat pretty big stuff.
And what they do – let’s put him down gently – what they do is they grab the prey
with their mouth, they snap and they grab it and then they claw it with their claws
and they actually break it up.
It can be a rat that size, if you can catch him, he’ll hold him and he’ll eat him
up.”
Austin: “Wow, look at the condition of this guy’s
shell.
You can see he’s an old boy.
Look how it’s all cracked over here.
It’s cracked and weathered.
He’s had a hard, hard life.
Look at this, it’s been broken over here almost.
You’d never know what he’s been through.
I’m sure he’s more than twenty years old.
What I want to do is put the rest of him over here like this.
There you go.
You’re okay now.
Look at that jaw, look at that jaw.
See the sharp points at the end of the jaw, too?
Aw, if you get your finger in there – and those jaws are slightly serrated as well – man,
if he gets hold of you, you’ll know all about it.
If I was to stick my finger in there foolishly, he’d grab my finger, he’d chop it clean
off and he’d swallow it down, no problem at all.
Oh, look at that, he knows where my hand is.
See that?
Okay, let me get some grass here.
I might just tempt him here.
See this solid piece of sawgrass?
I wonder if he’ll take onto that.
You gonna bite this for me?
Show me.
Show me.
Oh, look at.
He says, ‘I’m gonna kill this thing!
I’m gonna kill it!’
He says, ‘Whatever it is, I’m gonna kill it.’
Look at the concentration on his face.
Imagine now that’s your finger.
That wouldn’t be fun at all.
Eh, are you gonna let go?
He won’t let go.
It’s not called a snapping turtle for nothing, eh?
I bet I could pick him up with this.
Look at this.
He’s not letting go.
Look at that.
Isn’t that fantastic?”
Austin: “Oh, he looks like a wrinkled old man, but
in actual fact, he’s probably in his prime right now.
Okay.
Well that was interesting.
Fantastic find.
I didn’t find my Burmese, but at least I found something just as interesting.
Anyway, this guy is such a powerful predator, I bet you, I guarantee you he’s eaten everything
that’s in this pond.
So there’s not much chance that I’m going to find a python here anyway.
So this guy can go back to his, his little kingdom over here.
Best thing to do is just keep my hands really clear, grip the tail.
Off you go, boy.
Thanks for that.
That was a great little visit.”
Before we part company Billy gives me another tip.
To head west for the Cypress swamp.
That’s where the Miccosukee would expect to find snakes.
Austin: “There we go.
That was excellent.
Thanks man.
I appreciate it, very much.
It was great being with you.
Give me a shout if you can.”
Billy: “Good luck again, finding your python.”
Austin: “Yeah, thanks man.
I’ll let you know.
You go well.”
With no python to show for my first day in the Everglades it’s time to head for dry
land.
This is a deserted chickee, a traditional Miccosukee dwelling.
Austin: “Just look at this.
Isn’t this fantastic?
This is an old abandoned hunting cabin.
There are lots of these dotted on the islands throughout the sawgrass.
Some are in use; some are not.
This one looks like it got hit by a hurricane at some time.
But it’s a great place for me to set up my camp for tonight.
Always nice to make a fire at night.
Not only is it comforting, but it warns any predators that are in the area that there
is somebody here.
This is still the best time of year for me to come and look for these pythons.
I mean, the water’s quite low, which makes it difficult to travel.
Of course, insects are a problem.
They’re always a problem.
Right now it’s winter, the coolest months, and it’s not too bad.
But there are still a lot of mossies around all the time.
But you can just imagine what it would be like in summer.
You’d be covered in mossies.
You’d be actually black with insects.
So this is a better time of year, for sure.”
But mosquitoes aren’t the only dry season menace.
Austin: “Of course, everything changes in the Glades
at night.
This is when the big predators come out.
It can be pretty dangerous to move around here.
Especially at the water’s edge, ‘cause that’s where the gators are.
And they’re almost invisible.
There’s only one way to spot gators at night and I’m gonna try that right now.”
It’s impossible to know how many of these predators are lying in wait.
Austin: “Wow, just look at all those eyes out there.
There must be dozens of gators out there.
Some of them look really big as well.
This is a dangerous place to be.
There must be a lot of good food around here.
This is why they’re all congregating here.”
Alligators may look heavy and awkward but they can run at 30 miles an hour.
And they like to feed between dusk and dawn.
With so many hungry neighbours around, I’m going to have to keep the fire well fed tonight.
AUDIO
Yesterday Billy told me that the Cypress swamp was a good place for snakes.
But I’ve had another idea – I’m going to spend a day python hunting here in the
sawgrass.
I’m heading for a cluster of hammocks – small tree islands dotted amongst the marsh.
Austin: “I do imagine that the snakes use the sawgrass
to cross from one of these hammocks to the next, where the trees are, where the high
ground is, where there’s lots of food for them, possibly mammals, birds, stuff they
can eat.
So if I head into the sawgrass towards those hammocks, I must just be in the right place
to find a Burmese python.”
Pythons are especially elusive.
Their skins are perfectly camouflaged in this habitat.
So the only way to do this is to search the ground on foot.
Time to brave the sawgrass.
It’s nasty stuff.
And a favourite nesting ground for gators.
Not only do they hide here, their gator holes are dotted everywhere.
Austin: “This is something I’ve got to watch out
for while I’m crossing the sawgrass.
As the water recedes in the dry season, like now, there remains water here.
And this is an attraction to all other animals that might need water.
And so it becomes a feeding ground for snakes as well.”
Finally, I spot a thin trail running through the sawgrass – this could be it.
Austin: “I got one.
I’ve actually got one.
I cannot believe it.
I mean, this is what I’ve been looking for.
That’s it.
That’s a Burmese python, and it’s a baby.
It’s a very young one.
Oh, and he’s cross; look at the mouth.
He’s angry.
What’s that?
He can give you a little nip, look.
That, even a baby snake like this has already got a lot of teeth in the mouth.
If he gives you a bite, he’ll draw blood.
That’s for sure.
You can see straight away, this is not one of the pets that have been released or escaped
into the wild.
This guy’s a hatchling and he’s completely wild.
He’s never been handled before.
And I imagine here, in the Everglades, they get everything they need.
Also, the climate is warm, the water is warm; there’s so much stuff here that he can feed
on.
Pythons have a bit of an advantage over other snakes when it comes to breeding because they
actually look after their eggs and help with the incubation, making sure that the babies
survive.
Most snakes just drop their young and leave immediately.
And right now, he’s ready to pass.
Right there.
It just shows you that these guys have been eating really well.
And this guy looks like he’s doing fine.
He’s in really good shape.
No problems here at all.”
That was great.
But what I’m really after is an full-grown snake.
Pythons thirteen-foot long have been spotted in the glades.
And I want something just as big.
Large pythons tend to stay on the ground, rather than up in trees.
So, I spend the afternoon searching for trails in the grass along the water’s edge – evidence
that pythons are in the area.
Austin: “Pretty tough going through the sawgrass.
If I stick to the channels, I’ve got a chance.
Some of it’s impenetrable, but over here, I can at least pull my way through.
One advantage is it keeps the wind away from me a little bit.
The temperature inside the sawgrass here is quite a bit higher than it is outside it.
It’s still tough going.”
Pretty soon the saw grass is so thick that I have no chance of spotting anything.
Austin: “Aw, God.
I am pretty much stuck there.
Hey, nearly lost it that time.
Nearly lost it.
It’s easy to tip over here.
So much stuff in the water.
Aw, man!
This is the worst piece I’ve had so far.”
I knew Everglades pythons would be hard to find but it’s the terrain here that makes
it near impossible.
Time to head back to camp.
And plan my route to the Cypress swamp.
Austin: “It was really a cold night last night.
I was amazed how cold it gets over here.
And I was surrounded by mosquitoes.
Covered in mosquitoes the whole night.
Really hard going.
I’m getting away from all that this morning.
I’m heading up north, I’m heading towards the Cyprus swamps.
I hope I’ve got a better chance there with the pythons.”
This swamp is said to be home to all kinds of snakes.
And as I get my bearings in here, I can see why.
Austin: “This is all Cyprus swamp.
It’s not just Cyprus trees; it’s willow, abash.
It’s thousands of acres; it’s the perfect place for pythons.
It doesn’t matter there’s a lot of wood here because they’re excellent swimmers.
Most snakes are excellent swimmers.”
But I’m more likely to find them on land.
And that’s what I’m trying to get to.
Austin: “So much water around, you wouldn’t believe
that it’s actually the dry season.
That’s my problem.
The water’s actually very low and there’s all this debris in the water and it’s all
lying just under the surface.
Lots of bits of wood and fallen logs.
And of course the water’s cold and I don’t want to fall in this water because this is
alligator country.
There’s definitely alligators everywhere here and they’re so well camouflaged and
they’re lying just under the surface.
And I can’t see them, so I’m trying my best to get through here without tipping over.”
Austin: “Argh.
This is so frustrating.
Ah, my.
It’s getting difficult.
I can hear the roots and the logs and stuff in the bottom of my canoe and I can feel them
and it feels like they’re almost going through the bottom.
This is getting a bit hairy.
I’m doing everything I can, but it looks like I might have reached the end of the road.
I don’t want to get into this water.
I really don’t.
But it looks like I’ve got no choice.
I’m going to have to get in.
I’m gonna have to drag this canoe.
This is really what I’ve been trying to avoid.
Not only is it uncomfortable and difficult, it’s dangerous.
You just don’t know what’s under the water.
There’s roots and all kinds of stuff that could break your leg.
And you never know, I might even step on an alligator.
It’s terrible terrain to move through.
It’s the most hostile territory I’ve ever been to.
Argh!
Argh!
I just can’t do this anymore.
It’s too difficult to pull this canoe all the way.
Even though I know there’s deep water up ahead, for now I’m gonna have to leave it
here and just move on.”
Austin: “As the dry season settles in like this
and these lost low-lying areas have got the only water, it’s a fantastic place for game
to congregate.
And all kinds of snakes and stuff will be here for the water.
Probably one of the best places I can search for my python.
Ah, it’s really bad, like I had to leave my canoe behind.
With the terrain this rugged, I would never have gotten through it.”
In this cool weather, snakes seek out heat.
So this is the best time of day to be searching for them – along fallen logs and branches
where they soak up the sun.
Austin: ”Can you see that?
It’s a cottonmouth.
I’m moving very, very slowly.
This guy’s just lying here, catching some sun.
And he thinks he’s very well camouflaged.
There he goes.
I’ve got him.
It’s a young cottonmouth.
It’s so beautiful.
This is one of Florida’s deadliest snakes.
They’re pretty vicious little snakes.
They can bite and they’ve got a very powerful venom.
I’ve just gotta get him out of here.
Come on, come on.
There we are.
Got him.
Ah it’s, it’s been quite cool today, so he’s not as active as he might have been,
which makes it easier for me to work with him.
Just getting him to calm down.
Come on, calm down.
Look at the colours on this guy; he’s gorgeous!
I wanna take a photo of this guy.
He’s so gorgeous.
Put you down carefully.
Sometimes, if you put them down really gently and he realizes he’s not in any danger,
woops.
Woops.
He wants to get away now.
What I’m gonna do then is just hold him like this and actually get a shot of him on
the log.
Just the front half of his body.
And I’ve gotta be very careful so that I don’t lose concentration and get bitten
by it.
That’s it.”
Austin: “Now I’m gonna take him with both hands
and go right up the camera so you can have a real good look at him.
I would never have thought I could do this and I shouldn’t be doing this with a cottonmouth.
Look at the camera.
Come on, look at the camera, you’re such a good boy.
Look at the camera.
Go look at the camera.
There we go, that’s.
Look at that tongue.
Look at that tongue action.
Isn’t that amazing?
That’s totally amazing.
Beautiful.
Smelling what’s going on.
Looking at the camera.
Oh, just gotta be very careful.
I mean, he’s showing no aggression whatsoever.
But one little mistake, he bites you.
One little fang, one little drop of venom and you’ll know all about it.
What I’m going to do is put him exactly where he was and leave him here.
I’m gonna move away very slowly so that he doesn’t spook.
Never thought that I’d be able to handle a cottonmouth like this.
It’s incredible.
Go away slowly and see if he’ll stay, ‘cause I don’t want to disturb him if I don’t
have to.
You’ve got my boy.
I’ll get out of the way.”
That was a very lucky find.
But not surprising.
Every inch of the Cypress swamp – its trees, land and water - is a potential hiding place
for a snake.
And a thirteen-foot python can curl into a space just two feet square.
Austin: “This is interesting ‘cause this is definitely
snake feces.
Now the, yeah, it looks like it may be undigested hair and a bit of uric acid you can see here.
Probably a few more bits have dropped down there.
I’m gonna take it up and break it up.
See a snake usually digests just about everything.
But every now and then, you get a bit of fur, maybe a bit of feather, maybe a tooth or so.
This looks like fur.
And if you could analyze that, you’d probably be able to tell exactly what animal it’s
eaten.
But look at all the fur inside there.
This is definitely python feces.
I’m sure of that.
Look at the fur inside there.
Wow.
Okay.
I’m hot on the trail of pythons, I’m sure of that.”
And from the look of things, it’s a fairly big one!
Austin: “Here that?
That’s a baby alligator calling.
I’m gonna have a look, see if I can find him.
He’s right here.
Aw, he’s caught up in netting.
This is something that happens quite often.
Fishermen lose their nets.
Anything can get trapped in this.
It’s actually cold and the water’s actually frozen here.
You would actually drown here if I didn’t find this guy.
Look at that guy.
I’ve gotta be very careful because if there’s baby alligators in this area, almost certainly
there’s a mother in the area.
There we are, look at that.
There we go.
Listen to him calling.
That’s dangerous because when they call like that and the mother hears that, she comes
like a shot.
Isn’t he gorgeous?
You calling, yes I’ve saved you.
It’s okay.
Don’t worry.”
Austin: “Look at his mouth.
Ooh, he’s opening his mouth.
Got your little teeth, you can already see his teeth.
He’s not dangerous at this size.
But I wouldn’t put my finger in there anyway.
Alligators can nip, even at this size.
And he’s stunningly gorgeous.
Oh, he’s giving me a strike.
Yes, I’m not your mother; I’m just saving you.
Isn’t he gorgeous?
Oh, yes.
You see that?
He’s still got instinct, even like this.
Being trapped in freezing cold under the water and he’ll still get me if he can because
he wants to get away now.
You’re so cute, aren’t you?
Yeah.
Let’s see if his mother will find him.
I’m gonna let him go and maybe he’ll join up with her.
Alright you little guy, off you go.
I’m so glad you’re okay now.
There we go.”
That was great.
I can’t resist watching to see if I catch a glimpse of the mother.
Austin: “Isn’t this incredible?
The baby has actually found its mother.
The mother’s been moving closer while I’ve been here.
She’s come right up to the baby and they’re looking at each other nose-to-nose.
That’s just incredible.
I mean, I’ve been so worried about alligators, and I’m right here in the swamp in the presence
of them.
It’s fantastic.
I’ve never quite experienced anything like this.
But I’m gonna leave them alone.
I’m really close; I’d rather that I moved away and give them their own space.
Mother and child reunion.”
Time for me to reunite with my kit.
Austin: “Where’s my tongs?
That looks like a snake!
Holy mackerel!
It might be a Burmese!
Got him, got him!
And he’s a big one.
Smaller than I was hoping to find.
And he’s heavy and he’s fat; he’s in very good condition.
Excellent.
This snake’s obviously been doing very well out here.
And he’s a struggler.
I don’t want him to get away.
I’ve gotta hold on.
This guy’s mad.
He’s mad.
He’s got a temper.
I’ve just gotta try and get to the head without getting bit because even, wow, look
at his mouth is open.
He’s trying to bite anything.
He’s trying to bite anything he can see right now.
He’s got about a hundred teeth in the mouth.
A mighty bite that he can give you.
They’re like razor blades.
Don’t do that.
I’m scared to grab him because they’ve got a lot of, ah!
He’s got me.
He’s got me on the pants!
Let me get him up.
He’s quite a feisty guy.
He’s gonna turn on me.
Ah!
There we go.
I’ve got him.
Woo.
Where’s your head, boy?
I’ve gotta get to the head.
Come on.
Ah, got it!
I mean, this is a young snake by standards for a, for a, for a Burmese python.
But he’s got an attitude.
He knows I’m grabbing hold of him.
Maybe he knows he’s not supposed to be here.
Let me just if I can wrap him up on my arm a little bit.
He’s getting a little agitated; he’s got him mouth open.
Look how he got his mouth open.
Sometimes you can actually see the teeth.”
Austin: “He’s curling around my body, putting
a bit of pressure over there, constricting my arm.
And they are capable, it’s one of the few snakes which are actually capable of grabbing
onto a human being, constricting him and swallowing him.
To me, it’s amazing that I’m catching Burmese python this size already in the Florida
Everglades.
This snake is thousands and thousands of kilometers away from where it’s supposed to be.
So it’s something completely unique.
I’ve never experienced anything like this.
Well fortunately, he’s calmed down quite a lot that I’ve got him now, but I know
first chance he gets, he’s gonna zap me again.
I couldn’t believe it; he went right through my legs.
I couldn’t find him for a minute and when I pulled up again, he’d bitten me right
in the crotch.
Luckily, he got loose there as well.
I wouldn’t want him hanging on over there for too long.
Okay.
I wanna just keep him, see if I can put him somewhere safely on the log or on the mud
bed and get some nice photos of this guy in his natural habitat, which has now become
his natural habitat.”
Austin: “It’s just incredible.
I mean I, I heard about these giant predators being in the, in the Everglades, as well as
alligators of course, and becoming confrontational.
I mean alligators could kill the snake.
If an alligator grabs this snake, he would kill it for sure.
He could kill it with no effort at all and swallow it down.
But a big, a big python has got a good chance to grab onto an alligator and pull it into
its coils, and then he could constrict the alligator.
It would be a battle of titans.
It’s anybody’s guess as to what would happen.
Oh boy.
He’s got my hand here.
He’s got me really tight, so I can’t actually get to my camera.
There we go.
The hardest part about getting a photograph of a snake, firstly is to find the snake and
then, secondly, getting the snake to sit still.
Not an easy task.
First thing I’m gonna do is just get a shot of the snake.
A really wide shot, yeah.
That’s fantastic.
I’ll try and get a bit above him.
He’s gonna move off in a minute.
He’s gonna disappear like a shot.
He’s just sort of stunned for the moment, saying, ‘He’s let go of me.
Can I get away?’
He’s gonna try any minute.
He’s going to move from it now.
There he goes.”
Austin: “Maybe he’ll walk along the log.
Gorgeous.
Gorgeous.
Isn’t that beautiful?
I’ll get a close-up of the head.
Wow, what a snake.
This is fantastic.
Let him just crawl a bit along here.
His whole body stretched out.
He’s found a cliff from escape.
He’s thought up is out.
I’m going to have to pull him back because he’s otherwise going to disappear on me.
He’s fantastic.
Look at that body, eh?
Powerful.
I’ll hold onto you and watch you pull.
If he gets himself jammed around the tree like this, he’s got the muscles to go around
it and watch him pull.
Watch where my hand is here.
I’ve got it here, now he gets his body there.
Now watch, look at that.
I cannot pull him back.
And he will slowly go forward, he will take the next set of muscle and then work on these.
Watch this, watch this.
I cannot hold him back.
But I’ve gotta get to him otherwise he’s gonna get away and I won’t get him, won’t
get to his head again.
He’ll get right up the tree and I’ll never find him again.
Let’s get him out.
Come on boy.
And this is the way you get bitten.
This is the way you get bitten.
Okay.
Aw.
He fell.
Now he come, there we go.
Watch your head.
Okay, there we go.
I got him.
I got him.
Yes, yes, I know.
You want to get away, but I’ve got you.
Okay.
Now I’ve got to unwind him.
There we go.
Oh, he saw my face and he thought my face was clear enough to give me a go.
What a snake.”
Austin: “Because he’s not a native to this country,
I can’t release him back into the wild.
But I do know somebody who’s going to give him a very good home.
So what I’ve got to do is just bag him and deliver him.
How are you going to take to this, boy?
I’m going to put you right in there, and feed him.
Hope he doesn’t bite me.
Get him down, step by step.
That’s it.
And off we go.”
With my python safely in the care of an animal sanctuary, it’s time for me to start the
journey home.
Back through the Cypress swamp, sawgrass and marsh.
But it’s been worth it.
Austin: “This trip has been amazing.
It feels to me like I’ve paddled my way right across the Florida Everglades.
I’ve seen so many animals, I’ve taken fantastic photographs.
But when I got that python, that was the highlight.
It’s pretty obvious that the pythons are increasing in population here in the Everglades.
That may or may not be a good thing.
One thing’s for sure: I’m always happy to hear snakes are on the increase, because
where these snakes come from in Asia, they’d be completely decimated.
One day, this may be the only place in the world where you actually see Burmese pythons
alive and well.”
