What are people saying about a giant python roaming the streets of Doral? ‘Stay away’

Doral residents are worried about a massive snake on the loose in their city.

“Walking around the lake, and was like, where is the snake?” said Juan Ramirez when he saw the snake emerge from the lake outside his home. “And then I saw the snake and went, like, ‘Wow!’ ”

Ramirez encountered what’s believed by experts to be a Burmese python.

“Normally, you’re worried about a bite, not being eaten alive when you see a snake,” he said.

Neighborhood security at Barbados in Doral alerted residents of a snake in the area. Ramirez went to see if that was true last week.

“My wife and kids walk the dog around the lake,” Ramirez said. “I wanted to see what was there.”

Ramirez found something he was not hoping to see: a gigantic snake in the lake off Northwest 114th Avenue.

“99.9% sure it’s a Burmese python,” said Ron Magill, the communications director at Zoo Miami.

He identified the snake from a video of the snake digesting what neighbors said was a duck.

The average length of a Burmese python is between 8 to 14 feet.

Doral police posted a message for people not to approach the snake if they see it. They advised to call 911 or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“They blend in with their environment very well,” Magill said. “Stay away from high patches of grass and thickets of grass. Stay on sidewalks, low-cut grass, and areas where you have a clear sight of view around. And do not let your pets roam free.”

This report is from Miami Herald partner CBS Miami.