Record Capture of Reticulated Python in Puerto Rico

Kevin Pavlidis, known as Snakeaholic, is a professional python hunter and alligator wrestler who played a key role in capturing the longest live reticulated python ever recorded in Puerto Rico. Working alongside Proyectos Retic, a group dedicated to studying reticulated pythons in the region, Pavlidis helped catch a snake measuring 18 feet and 4 inches.

The massive snake was found at El Hippie waterfall in Naguabo, Puerto Rico. Demonstrating its enormous size, eight people stood shoulder-to-shoulder to display the python. The hunt began after reports of the python strangling a pet cat behind a house.

Although it remains unclear whether the cat survived, the focus was on capturing the snake. Reticulated pythons are considered invasive in Puerto Rico, similar to the Burmese pythons in Florida, Pavlidis’s home state.

In his account of the capture, Pavlidis shared, “It took all my tracking skills and 20 minutes of searching to find this snake in the jungle.” He expressed pride in removing this apex predator, contributing to the conservation efforts to balance Puerto Rico’s ecosystem.

Reticulated pythons pose a significant threat due to their potential to dominate the ecosystem. Pavlidis noted, “As incredible as these snakes are, they represent a huge threat to Puerto Rico’s delicate ecosystem.” He emphasized that the introduction of such non-native species is a human error, and efforts by Proyectos Retic aim to address these ecological challenges.