Florida confirms Burmese python breeding hotspot outside the Everglades, and wildlife experts fear it could be the start of a bigger spread

• For years, efforts to track invasive Burmese pythons in Florida have centred on the Everglades, where the giant snakes have become one of the state's most persistent wildlife problems.
• Wildlife officials now say a separate breeding population has become established farther north along Florida's Gulf Coast, suggesting the species has gained another foothold beyond its long-recognised range.