A reticulated python bit a man in Naranjito, Puerto Rico, in recent days as he was about to feed his animals around 5:30 AM, according to hunter and content creator José Morales Berríos, known as "Gongo," who shared footage of the attack on social media. Morales Berríos said the man didn’t notice the snake nearby, and it bit his finger when it sensed his presence, requiring stitches.
The incident prompted Waldemar Quiles Pérez, secretary of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA), to renew calls for caution during the hot summer months, when higher temperatures increase reptile activity. Quiles Pérez explained that snakes are cold-blooded (ectothermic) animals, a point corroborated by National Geographic, meaning their body temperature depends on environmental conditions, leading to more sightings and captures in summer.
He said Cuerpo de Vigilantes personnel are responding to citizen complaints and assisting in captures. Quiles Pérez advised people who encounter a reticulated python to retreat and contact the Cuerpo de Vigilantes or the municipal Office of Emergency Management rather than approach it. The DRNA has documented reproductive wild populations of reticulated pythons in Puerto Rico and classifies them as a harmful, dangerous invasive species. Quiles Pérez also made a specific appeal to pet owners.