Burmese pythons are no longer just an Everglades story for Southwest Florida readers.

Florida wildlife officials have documented a growing concentration of credible python reports in western Charlotte County, especially around Rotonda West, Placida, Englewood East and South Gulf Cove.

FWC began tracking python reports in this area in 2015 and has said reports increased beginning in 2020, prompting additional surveys and monitoring in Charlotte County.

That does not mean Charlotte County is officially part of Florida’s established Burmese python range.

FWC’s current species profile still lists the established population farther south, from around Lake Okeechobee through the Everglades region to Collier County and the Keys.

For pythons found outside that established area, FWC says escaped or released captive animals remain a likely explanation while the agency evaluates new reports and watches for evidence of range change.

For Rotonda-area residents, the practical message is simple: take sightings seriously and report them.

Burmese pythons are large, nonvenomous constrictors with a tan or cream background covered by large dark-brown blotches that can resemble puzzle pieces or giraffe markings.

The head is broad and pyramid-shaped, with a dark arrowhead-like wedge extending toward the nose.

Size alone is not enough for identification because several native Florida snakes can also grow large.

If you think you see a Burmese python, stay back, take a photo from a safe distance and note the exact location.

Report the sighting immediately to FWC at 888-IVE-GOT1 (888-483-4681), through the IveGot1 app or through the state’s online reporting system.

FWC also offers free Python Patrol training for people who want to learn identification, reporting and safe-capture procedures. The next virtual session is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2026, from 7 to 8 p.m. Eastern.

The local takeaway: Rotonda and western Charlotte County are now important places to watch, photograph and report suspected Burmese pythons — without assuming every large snake is invasive.