Native to southern Asia, the Burmese python ("Python molurus bivittatus") is a relatively new invasive species in the Everglades. This species can grow up to long, and they compete with alligators for the top of the food chain. Florida wildlife officials speculate that escaped pythons have begun reproducing in an environment for which they are well-suited. In Everglades National Park alone, agents removed more than 2,000 Burmese pythons from the park . Federal authorities banned four species of exotic snakes, including the Burmese python, in 2012. The pythons are believed to be responsible for drastic decreases in the populations of some mammals within the park.