Florida’s 2016 Python Challenge Nabs 106 Snakes From Everglades
A python is put on display during a media conference to kickoff the Python Challenge in January. Carli Segelson / Florida FWC
More than 1,000 people registered to hunt down the invasive species in a multi-week competition.
It’s hard to know exactly how many Burmese pythons are in Florida, which are an invasive species and have wrecked havoc on the ecosystem in places like the Everglades. Some experts believe there are more than 100,000 of the snakes out there, though other estimates have that number much lower.
Regardless where that number stands, pythons have wreaked havoc on sensitive ecosystems, where the snakes have no natural predators.
But there are now 106 fewer pythons in Florida after a state-sponsored multi-week competition that had more than 1,000 registrants from 29 states capture as many as they could through the 2016 Python Challenge, which started on Jan. 16.
“Each python that is removed makes a difference for our native wildlife, and the increased public awareness will help us keep people involved as we continue managing invasive species in Florida,” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioner Ron Bergeron said in a Saturday announcement detailing the winning teams and individual hunters.
Florida’s first Python Challenge was held in 2013 and resulted in 68 pythons being removed from the Everglades.
The winning team this year captured 33 pythons and won a $5,000 cash prize. The winning individual nabbed 13 pythons and won a $3,500 cash prize.
(Video: Searching for the Elusive Burmese Python from My FWC on Vimeo.)
As part of the guidelines for participation, each registrant had to complete online training. About 500 people attended in-person trainings where they learned how to locate pythons and safely and humanely capture the snakes, which can grow up to 26 feet in length.
This year, the largest snake captured was 15 feet long and weighed 125 pounds.
The sponsors of this year’s Python Challenge included the University of Florida, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, South Florida Water Management District, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Everglades National Park.
Michael Grass is Executive Editor of Government Executive’s Route Fifty.
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