Early morning on September 18, Pinecrest police and a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s deputy got tangled up in an unusual traffic stop. Around 2 a.m., construction workers spotted a 14-foot Burmese python slithering along U.S. 1. The officers ended up handling the massive snake, capturing the encounter and posting about it on Facebook.

Todd Hardwick, a wildlife removal expert with three decades of experience, said encounters like this are becoming routine in South Florida

He explained to Local 10 News that finding pythons outside the Everglades isn’t rare anymore. Some of the state’s wildlife belongs here, some doesn’t, and drivers and residents alike just need to be cautious.

The expert noted the python’s timing made sense

Early morning offers little traffic and plenty of potential prey like rats, raccoons, and possums. 

The snake was likely hunting. He added that many Burmese pythons are leaving the Everglades because their usual food sources are running low.

Lean and likely wild, the snake probably wasn’t an escaped pet

The python was most certainly heading toward food-rich areas across South Florida, from Naples and Marco Island to Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties.

The invasive species is moving into more urban areas. If you live or drive on quiet Florida roads at night, stay alert.