Authorities confiscated a 13-foot (4-meter) Burmese python from a man in upstate New York after discovering the still-growing snake in a cramped tank, officials reported.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation received a complaint on August 28 regarding an illegally owned python in New Hartford. Environmental Conservation Police Officer Jeff Hull responded and found the snake housed in a tank measuring just 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters).
Weighing 80 pounds (36 kilograms) and measuring 13 feet 2 inches (4 meters) in length, the snake was healthy but still growing, according to a news release from the department.
The python was transferred to the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome, which holds the proper state permits for such animals, the agency added.
The owner admitted he had not anticipated how quickly the snake would grow. He was cited for illegal possession of wildlife and keeping dangerous wildlife without a permit.
Burmese pythons, native to Southeast Asia, are popular as pets in the U.S., but they are an invasive species in Florida, where they threaten native wildlife.
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Burmese pythons can reach lengths of up to 16 feet (5 meters). The snake seized in New York was an albino Burmese python, featuring a striking yellow color and an arrowhead-shaped marking on its head.
