Florida man Jake Waleri versus largest Burmese python ever captured: Huge snake wrestled in dramatic video

Florida snake hunter Jake Waleri said he's lucky to walk away unharmed from a bout with the largest Burmese python ever captured.

A Florida snake hunter has survived a wrestle with a record-breaking Burmese python to capture what is potentially the largest animal of the species ever recorded at almost six metres long.

The monstrous snake can be seen lunging in a video with mouth open at Jake Waleri, 22, after he grabs its tail in long roadside grass in the Big Cypress National Preserve.

Avoiding the lunge, Waleri quickly grabs the snake’s neck.

But his arms can then be seen straining and shaking against the power of the snake as he rolls on the ground and tries to control its neck, while the snake tries to swing its jaws around to latch onto Waleri’s arms.

Two others come in to assist Waleri and unwind the snake from around him before taping its mouth shut.

The team killed the python and took it to local environment group the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

The group confirmed the python measured 579cm and weighed 56kg.

The longest Burmese python caught in Florida has been documented. Watch full video here: https://t.co/xVNblFVT2d pic.twitter.com/XEd15wljqH

— Conservancy of SWFL (@ConservancySWFL) July 13, 2023

The Burmese python is an invasive species in the US blamed for killing native animals and so can be legally captured and humanely killed in Florida.

Ian Easterling from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida said the python is the longest recorded as captured in Florida and possibly the longest ever captured.

Waleri told Australian media outlet ABC that coming across the snake at 1am, he didn’t at first realise it was so big as he and his team spent three minutes capturing it by at first trying to tire it.

“But then it slithered out onto the road and I could see the full mass of the thing, and I knew it was going to be one hell of a fight,” he told the ABC.

“We did the best to tire out the snake while dodging its attempts to strike us.

“We all worked to tire her out, but I jumped on the head to eventually pin the snake.”

Waleri told the ABC his heart rate was up.

“I was scared, I definitely did not want to get bit by a snake this size, my friends and I were very lucky to walk away unharmed,” he said.