News

Key ingredient for COVID-19 vaccine found in Florida pythons

A key ingredient used to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine has been discovered in the bodies of pythons. It’s called squalene, an oil found naturally in the livers of sharks.

As it turns out, squalene is also found in the livers of pythons. Enter Dusty Crum, better known as Wildman on the Discovery Channel program Guardians of the Glades.

Crum is a python hunter hired by the state of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to harvest invasive pythons from the Florida Everglades.

https://www.fox13news.com/news/experts-suggest-targeting-invasive-pythons-for-key-covid-vaccine-ingredient This is how you do it in the Everglades son! Wooooooo!

Posted by Wildman on Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Crum tells WDBO scientists have recently discovered that Squalene can be found throughout the python’s body.

“What they’re finding out is since this squalene is in the fats, they can metabolize that and reverse process it and learn how to make it out of other things, like cholesterols and other kinds of fats,” said Crum.

And with the population of invasive pythons in the Everglades continually growing, Crum says there could potentially be an endless supply of squalene in south Florida.

“So out of one snake we’ve calculated we can make 3,400 doses of the vaccine, and there’s a lot of snakes in the Everglades,” said Crum.




Darrell Moody

Darrell Moody

Darrell Moody is a 6 generation native Floridian, born and raised in central Florida.  He graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2003.  In 2007, Darrell began his radio career with the Florida News Network and WFLF in Orlando.

Listen

news

weather

traffic

mobile apps

Everything you love about wdbo.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!