Hundreds Gather In Florida To Hunt Invasive Pythons

CNN reports:

Deer, raccoons, possums and fox once flocked the area of the Everglades National Park in south Florida. Nowadays, you’re lucky if you spot one mammal in the area, according to wildlife experts. Who’s to blame for this decline in wildlife? The invasive species known as Burmese pythons.

To help combat this problem for Florida’s ecosystem, snake hunters are congregating in the hundreds for the Florida Python Challenge. The event, created by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, started in 2013.

The event brings hundreds of professional snake hunters to the Everglades to hunt and kill the reptiles. As of Friday, more than 850 people had signed up, the commission said.

Read the full article. The contest lasts ten days. Top prizes include $1500 for the largest snake and $2500 for the most killed.

More than 800 competitors will be trudging through the Florida Everglades for the next eight days, in search of invasive Burmese pythons that will bring in thousands of dollars in prize money. https://t.co/tug1aBRnEn

— ABC News (@ABC) August 6, 2022