A 17ft 7in Burmese python weighing 164lb has been found in the Everglades National Park.
Scientists at the University of Florida say the snake, which was dead when it was found, is the biggest ever recorded.
The female python was pregnant with 87 eggs - an unheard of number.
The giant snake is laid out in full as scientists examine her
Dr Kristen Hart, a research ecologist with the US Geological Survey, told HuffPost: “She was a beast! She was really impressive.”
Kenneth Krysko, of the Florida Museum of Natural History, told the BBC: “It means these snakes are surviving a long time in the wild.
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“There’s nothing stopping them, and the native wildlife are in trouble.”
The giant snakes have no known predators and prey on birds, deer, bobcats and alligators.
He added: “A 17-and-a-half foot- snake could eat anything it wants.”
Tens of thousands of Burmese pythons are believed to be living in the Everglades, with many having apparently been released by their owners and others escaping from pet shops during Hurricane Andrew in 1992, according to Fox News.
Some 1,825 Burmese pythons were found between 2000 and 2011 in and around the Everglades National Park.
