Experts believe the snake, an 8-foot-long Burmese python, indigenous to Southeast Asia, not native to New Jersey or the U.S. Northeast, is an abandoned pet. The timber rattlesnake colors vary. Some are yellow or brownish and some are black and grey.

The results are in from the 2026 Florida Python Challenge, and wildlife officials say hundreds of invasive Burmese pythons were removed from the Everglades during the annual competition.

A massive 8-foot python was found in a New Jersey backyard​. The 40-pound snake is now safely back in a cage, but not before it gave residents in Freehold a scare.

When the snake arrived at an SPCA facility, veterinarians scanned it using X-rays, which showed that it had recently eaten a large opossum and was in good health Officers believe the snake was abandoned by its owner after growing too large to care for Animal control officers in New Jersey received an unexpected phone call this week,