Some Florida restaurants are planning to add python meat to the menu once it is officials proven by scientists that it’s safe to eat.
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According to CNN, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is partnering up with the state’s Department of Health to confirm if it is safe for humans to consume Burmese python meat. The decision was made since the reptile is an invasive species and poses a huge risk to natural wildlife in south Florida. However, wildlife commission spokeswoman Susan Neel told the outlet that they are waiting on data based on the amount of mercury in the animals.
“It is early on in the process for the mercury study. We are currently in the tissue collection stage of the project, and Covid has pushed our timeline back a bit. The plan is to have most of these samples come from pythons that are caught by our contractor program.”
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Local python hunter Donna Kalil says the meat is very tasty and she turns it into jerky after using the pressure cooker. She is also a part of the python removal program where a team of people removes the pythons in the Everglades.
“We have a severe python problem, which began when irresponsible pet owners released them into the wild and they’ve basically eaten all the native mammals down in Everglades National Park.”