In Photos: Scientists snag Everglades python eggs for invasive species research

As Eric Suarez and Brandon Welty pulled their duo of airboats off to the side of an island in the Everglades, this spot looked no different from the rest of the canal. But inside was one of the most notorious invasive species in the ecosystem: a Burmese python.

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“This is where the nest is,” said Welty. “I’ve been tracking her for some time.”

Suarez and Welty work together at the University of Florida “Croc Docs” research program, which has been tracking pythons since the start of the program in 2022.

There wasn’t a trail, and Welty headed straight into the low-lying trees on the side of the island. As the researchers trekked through the brush, joined by South Florida Water Management District scientist Jenna Cole and her intern, there wasn’t a path. Welty was following a GPS tracker that researchers had imbedded into the female python.

The GPS tracker lead them straight to the nest. They were able to pull out the clutch of eggs to take them back the laboratory for research.

“We will not allow the eggs to hatch, but we’re not going to kill the snake, so we’ll release her back to the wild,” said Welty.

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Their research will help policymakers in Florida come up with effective plans to rid the ecosystem of the invasive species that is chomping through the local food chain.

Take a look at the photos from the day by Miami Herald photographer Alie Skowronski.

Read the story: On the prowl for invasive pythons, researchers are interrupting snake orgies

Read more In Photos: Scientists snag Everglades python eggs for invasive species research

This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 5:51 PM.