Swampy Speedway: Snake hitches ride on top of alligator

Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:

There is no lack of exciting oddities to be discovered in Florida, as one WINK News viewer encountered a snake hitching a ride on top of an alligator.

Viewer Bobby Ruiz was in the midst of participating in the annual Florida Python Challenge when he witnessed the slippery serpent joyriding an alligator.

Like many other python hunters, Ruiz spent his night hunting for the invasive species at the Big Cypress National Preserve.

While the snake seen in the video was not a Burmese Python, Ruiz relished in the brief but humorous moment, saying, “This is the most Florida thing you will ever see.”

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Burmese pythons are large constrictors that can grow to over 20 feet in length.

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FILE – A Burmese python is held during a safe capture demonstration on June 16, 2022, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

The challenge helps protect the Florida ecosystem, as each invasive serpent removed could potentially save hundreds of native species.

Since the 2020 Florida Python Challenge, 743 invasive Burmese pythons have been captured and removed from the Florida ecosystem.

The official start of the Florida Python Challenge was on Aug. 9 and ended on Sunday at 5 p.m.

The winner of the python challenge receives a handsome $10,000 cash prize.

Click here to learn more about the Florida Python Challenge.

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