BALDWIN, Fla. -- Humongous is an understatement when trying to describe this reptilian guy or gal.
"It's one of the biggest moccasins I've ever seen."
A cottonmouth snake was found earlier this week in the back fields of Baldwin near the Nassau County line. When we showed Charles Ford the picture he was surprised.
"Most of them you see probably aren't 5 or 7 foot at the most...that would be a big one because something usually kills them before they get that big," Charles Ford said.
The snake weighed in at nearly 87 pounds and nearly 7 feet long.
It was found by a worker clearing the land off County Road 121, which Ford says is becoming more common. He believes the price of progress is pushing critters out into the open and forcing them to come face-to-face with humans.
And with winter around the corner, this one could have been looking for a meal before hibernation.
"They're cold-blooded, so can't be out when it's cold," Ford continued.
Ford has been around snakes all his life, and even raised some. He says the cottonmouth is known for it's white throat and tongue and belongs to the water moccasin family.
He hates this one got killed, and has advice for anyone who encounters one in the future.
"They don't want nothing to do with you, so leave them alone. They got a right to live too," he explained.
Despite most people's disgust with snakes, they do serve a positive purpose. Scientists say they help keep the eco-system balanced by eating rats, mice and other pests.
