Winner of Florida python hunting contest nabs 96 snakes: ‘I was on a mission’

Invasive Burmese Pythons Wreak Havoc on the Everglades: Meet the 2024 Florida Python Challenge Winner. This year's Florida Python Challenge has come to a close, with a remarkable 96 invasive Burmese pythons eliminated from the Everglades national park. The initiative, a collaborative effort between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the South Florida Water Management District, and the National Park Service, aims to tackle the ever-growing problem of these non-native snakes, which have been causing significant ecological harm to the delicate ecosystem of the Everglades. The winner of the 10-day challenge, which offered a $10,000 cash prize, demonstrated exceptional snake-hunting skills, but the real challenge lies ahead: removing hundreds of these invasive species from the area and preserving the Everglades for future generations.

Burmese pythons are an invasive species in the Everglades, and the challenge is part of initiative to remove themThe winner of this year’s annual Florida Python Challenge hunted down and eliminated 96 invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades national park, as part of an initiative to remove hundreds of the snakes from the area every year.The challenge invites hunters to participate in 10 days of capturing and humanely euthanizing as many of the invasive snakes as possible across eight designated hunting locations, with the winner taking home a cash prize of $10,000. The event is hosted by Florida fish, wildlife and conservation (FWC), the south Florida water management district, the National Park Service and others. Continue reading...