Florida Python Challenge kicks off in Everglades

The Florida Python Challenge kicks off on Friday, July 9 with a new prize up for grabs for participants.

This year’s participants will have a chance at winning $10,000. So far, more than 450 people have signed up for the competition to remove invasive Burmese pythons from Florida’s Everglades, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The challenge is hosted by FWC, the South Florida Water Management District and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida under the leadership of Governor DeSantis.

The purpose of the challenge is to raise awareness on the invasive species and the threats they post to the state’s ecology, said FWC.

Participants in both the professional and novice categories can win prizes for removing the most and longest pythons. The $10,000 prize will be awarded to the person that removes the most pythons during the 10-day challenge.

The last day of the competition is July 18. People interested in participating can register through the last day of the challenge by clicking here.

There’s a $25 registration fee and participants are required to complete a free online training session to compete in the challenge.

Burmese pythons are known to prey on birds, mammals and other reptiles and are found primarily in and around the Everglades in South Florida.

According to FWC, a female Burmese python can lay 50 to 100 eggs at a time. More than 13,000 pythons have been removed from the state since the year 2000.

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