Burmese pythons continue to be an invasive species in Florida, but declining deer numbers in the state have concerned scientists given that the grazers form an important diet of local predators, including the critically endangered Florida panther.

However, scientists came upon a promising discovery that could positively impact those concerning statistics.

Researchers spent a year tracking the digestion of several large female females, which they believed would most likely eat a deer, to better understand the ecological impacts of the invasive snake.

They were ecstatic to witness one beast regurgitate an entire deer earlier this year — despite the temperatures in South Florida falling below 10C, well below the typically comfortable threshold for the cold-blooded constrictors.

The snakes

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