FORT MYERS, FLORIDA: In an interesting turn of events, Everglades National Park witnessed a rookie's triumphant encounter with a massive python on the day of the Florida Python Challenge.
An 18-year-old novice python hunter named Jack Cronin made a victorious catch on his inaugural hunt in the national park, according to CBS News.
Who is Jack Cronin?
Jack Cronin, a UCF freshman who is not experienced in python hunting managed to nab a nearly 16-foot-long Burmese python.
Despite not being a participant in this year's Florida Python Challenge, his unexpected capture unfolded just hours after the competition ended.
What is Florida Python Challenge?
The Florida Python Challenge held once a year is aimed at curbing the population of Burmese pythons as they are an invasive species that causes ecological disruption in the Everglades.
Held annually, the competition encourages its participants to hunt and remove these pythons from the area to mitigate their impact on the ecosystem.
Cronin recounts his maiden python hunting
Talking about the adrenaline-fueled experience, Cronin shared details of his exhilarating encounter.
"It was an adrenaline rush like no other. That was my first python I ever jumped on," he told local news outlet WBBH.
Though Cronin has experience in capturing smaller snakes, hunting the mammoth snake was unprecedented for the teenager.
Cronin who is 5' 10" (177 cm) fearlessly approached the 15' 6" (472.44 cm) massive snake and pounced on it and quickly immobilized the python by grasping its head.
Video of the python hunt showed fellow hunters assisting the 18-year-old in his maiden expedition.
The recent high-school graduate recalled how the situation swiftly escalated into a wrestling match as the Burmese python that weighed nearly 100 pounds tried resisting the capture.
"I jumped on it, grabbed its head, then the thing went nuts and it turned into a wrestling match," he said
Cronin further reflected on the adventurous hunt. "There were hundreds of people out there looking for these snakes. Right after the tournament ended… this would have won the tournament for sure."
The extraordinary capture became the first step to fulfilling his passion for python hunting. On Sunday night, August 13, Cronin visited the Everglades National Park.
His visit unexpectedly led to a contribution to the park's goal to preserve its unique environment.
Describing the moment he found the python, Cronin recalled, "We go over and there's just a snake's head sitting there, the size of my head. I shined the flashlight back through the woods to see the body, and couldn't even see the end of it."
"We'll definitely be back out there trying to get another big mama," Cronin said.
