Python Wrangler's Harrowing Encounter: Arm Bitten by 17-Foot Monster

In September 2020, python wrangler Mike Kimmel, who works for the South Florida Water Management District, had a harrowing encounter with a massive 17-foot Burmese python in the Everglades. Kimmel, known by the moniker "Python Cowboy," was attempting to capture the serpent, whose head was the size of a garden spade, when the situation took a dangerous turn.

Kimmel had set up cameras to record the capture, but he underestimated the reach of the python hiding in the underbrush. When he grabbed the snake by the tail instead of the head, the python reared up and struck, sinking its razor-sharp fangs into Kimmel's arm and slicing a vein below his elbow. "She got me, son," Kimmel cried out as blood spurted from the wound.

Despite the life-threatening injury, Kimmel was determined to subdue the python. He dug his heels into the limestone to stop the snake's thrashing and engaged in a tug-of-war with the massive reptile. Kimmel then maneuvered the python back to his 14-foot Jon boat and forced it into a secured crate, all while feeling lightheaded from blood loss.

"Bleeding out crossed my mind, but I was really worried about losing consciousness," Kimmel recalls. Fortunately, he was able to tie up his arm with a cloth bag and secure the python before the blood loss became too severe. Kimmel's harrowing encounter serves as a reminder of the power and danger of the Burmese pythons that have overrun the Everglades in recent years.