In the Everglades of Florida, a decapitated Burmese python is offering a glimmer of hope for the ecosystem. A victorious bobcat was later spotted snooping around the body of the defeated snake, suggesting that the native wildlife is able to take a stand against the invasive species.

Burmese pythons, as their name suggests, are not native to the wetlands of Florida, but the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. The population was founded in the late 20th century by escapees of the exotic pet trade. Their numbers were given a boost in August 1992 when Hurricane Andrew wrecked a serpent breeding facility near the Everglades, unleashing an unknown number of pythons into the wild.

The warm, swampy environment was ideal for the predatory pythons, allowing their populations to boom. But their arr

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