Florida man records snake hitching a ride on alligator's back

Aug. 19 (UPI) -- A Florida man hunting for pythons in the Big Cypress National Preserve captured video when he spotted a snake hitching a ride on the back of a swimming alligator.

Bobby Ruiz was participating in the Florida Python Challenge, an annual event aimed at controlling the population of invasive Burmese pythons, and captured video when he came across the snake and alligator practicing the buddy system.

"This is the most Florida thing you will ever see," Ruiz says in the video.

Ruiz said the snake in the video was not a Burmese python, so he let it be.

The Florida Python Challenge is held each year to curb the Burmese python population in seven wilderness areas, including Big Cyprus National Preserve. The top hunter each year receives a $10,000 prize.