The Burmese python — an apex predator that can grow over 18 feet long and eat animals larger than itself — has decimated native wildlife throughout much of South Florida. Its presence is directly linked to plummeting populations of small mammals and birds across vast stretches of the Everglades.

A startling milestone has been reached in Florida’s war against the invasive Burmese pythons eating their way across the Everglades.

A bobcat was documented killing and eating a 13-foot Burmese python in the Florida Everglades. Alligators, native snakes, and birds of prey are also known to prey on pythons. Burmese pythons are an invasive species, originally from Southeast Asia, that have established a significant population in the Everglades.

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida removed a record amount of invasive Burmese pythons from the wilderness areas this year. They found the big females by tracking males hoping to mate with them.

A woman captured 16 invasive pythons in the Everglades during May, earning top honors and a cash reward in a state-sponsored removal program aimed at protecting native wildlife. According to the South Florida Water Management District,

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida has announced a significant milestone: It has removed 6,300 pounds of invasive Burmese pythons throughout its hunting season.