Plot Synopsis

Herpetologist Shawn Heflick, reptile breeder Michael Cole and police officer Greg Graziani hunt Burmese pythons in the Florida Everaglades as they try to protect the ecosystem from these invasive predators. Whether pythons were introduced to the wild after Hurricane Andrew or over time by negligent owners, these reptiles are causing serious issues because of their reproductive behaviors and lack of predators. A wild Burmese python can lay a clutch with dozens of eggs each reproductive year, and since these snakes can live up to 25 years in the wild, officials estimate that approximately 150,000 Burmese pythons now live in the swamplands of South Florida. Everglade pythons typically prey on small native animals, including the mangrove fox squirrel and wood stork, posing a serious threat to the delicate swamp ecosystem. To help solve this problem, the state of Florida licenses snake experts like Shawn, Michael and Greg so that they can capture pythons and control the non-native snake population -- often armed with only GPS, a snake hook and their bare hands.