Florida nabs largest python ever found in state
圖片來源，佛羅里達州西南部保護區
她的最後一頓飯是一整隻白尾鹿，她正在與一條公蛇會合的路上，但卻遇到了死亡。這是在佛羅里達州發現的最大的蟒蛇。
Her last meal was an entire white-tailed deer, and she was on her way to a rendezvous with a male snake when the largest python ever found in Florida met her demise.
這隻雌性緬甸蟒蛇重215磅（98公斤），長近18英尺（5米），在研究人員使用雄性「偵察兵」找到她後被抓住。
Weighing in at 215lbs (98kg) and nearly 18ft long (5m), the female Burmese python was caught after researchers used a male "scout" to find her.
他們周三說，她與生物學家大戰了20分鐘才被「制服」。
She wrestled with biologists for 20 minutes before she was "subdued", they said Wednesday.
在佛羅里達州，蟒蛇已經成為沒有天敵的入侵蛇類，打敗了本地物種。
Pythons have become pests in Florida as invasive snakes with no major predators, out-competing native species.
自從不負責任的寵物主人釋放或允許寵物蟒蛇逃脫以來，這些蛇在該州不時被發現，許多蛇在佛羅里達州的亞熱帶氣候中茁壯成長。
The serpents have been periodically found in the state since irresponsible pet owners released or allowed pet pythons to escape years ago, with many then going on to thrive in Florida's subtropical climate.
根據州生物學家伊恩·巴托謝克（Ian Bartoszek）的說法，被佛羅里達州西南部保護協會的研究人員殺害的雌性緬甸蟒蛇，如果垂直伸展，大約相當於長頸鹿的高度。
The record-setting Burmese female killed by researchers from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida was about the height of a giraffe if stretched out vertically, according to state biologist Ian Bartoszek.
她一直在佛羅里達大沼澤地森林周圍滑行，這時生物學家用一隻名叫狄俄尼索斯的雄性蟒蛇，配備了無線電發射器，誘捕了她。
She had been slithering around the Florida Everglades forest when biologists, using a male python named Dionysus outfitted with a radio transmitter, found her.
他在森林西部的一個地方停了下來。「我們知道他在那裡是有原因的，團隊發現他和我們迄今為止見過的最大的雌蛇在一起，」巴托謝克說。她還被發現懷孕了,有驚人的122個蛋。
He stopped at a spot in the western part of the forest. "We knew he was there for a reason, and the team found him with the largest female we have seen to date," Mr Bartoszek said. She was also discovered to have been pregnant with an astonishing 122 eggs.
有史以來發現的最大的雄性是16英尺和140磅。
The largest male ever found there was 16ft and 140lbs.
據估計，她被抓到時已經20歲了。
It is estimated that she was up to 20 years old when caught.
研究人員已經在佛羅里達州狩獵蟒蛇超過10年，以保護該地區生態系統中的本地物種。
Researchers have been hunting pythons in Florida for over 10 years in an effort to protect native species in the region's ecosystem.
自2013年成立以來，佛羅里達州西南部的保護協會的蟒蛇項目已經從佛羅里達州西南部約100平方英里的範圍內消滅了1000多條蟒蛇。
Since being established in 2013, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida's python programme has removed over 1,000 pythons from around 100 sq miles in southwest Florida.
佛羅里達州還舉辦年度競賽，向公眾尋求幫助，以狩獵蟒蛇。「蟒蛇挑戰賽」將於8月5日至14日舉行，預計將吸引來自25個不同州的約600名選手參與。
Florida also runs an annual contest asking the public for help with hunting pythons. The "Python Challenge" will run from 5 to 14 August and is expected to draw around 600 participants from 25 different states.
獎項包括：捕蛇數量最多，獎2，500美元（2，050英鎊），以及捕獲最長的蛇獎1，500美元。
Prizes include $2,500 (£2,050) for most snakes captured, and $1,500 for the longest snake caught.
去年的獲勝者捕獲了223條蟒蛇，而最長的蛇長15英尺。所有被捕獲的蛇都將被人道毀滅。
Last year's winner captured 223 pythons, while the longest snake was 15 feet long. All snakes must be killed humanely.
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