The carapace of A. gigantea is a brown or tan in color with a high, domed shape. The species has stocky, heavily scaled legs to support its heavy body. The neck of the Aldabra giant tortoise is very long, even for its great size, which helps the animal to exploit tree branches up to a meter from the ground as a food source. Similar in size to the famous Galápagos giant tortoise, its carapace averages 122 cm (48 in) in length with an average weight of 250 kg (550 lb)

Burmese pythons are native to India, lower China, the Malay Peninsula, and some islands of the East Indies but have become an invasive species in the everglades and other parts of south Florida. Burmese pythons are disrupting the natural ecosystem here as they devour a broad number of native species, including alligators up to 5ft in length. The conditions are perfect for the large snake to reproduce, and they can lay up to 80 eggs at a time. Report Burmese pythons to the FWC immediately! If you think you see a Burmese python, take a photo, note your location and report your sighting by calling the Exotic Species Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1 (888-483-4681), using the free IveGot1 mobile app or online at IveGot1.org.

They most likely first occurred in Florida as escaped pets. As a result, Burmese pythons cannot be kept as pets in Florida. Released pets remain a primary source of introduced species in the state. Through the Exotic Pet Amnesty Program, pet owners who are either unable to care for their nonnative pets or who no longer wish to keep them can surrender them with no questions asked and without penalties, regardless of whether those pets are kept legally or illegally. The program helps reduce the number of nonnative species being released into the wild by pet owners and fosters responsible pet ownership.