Florida's Python Hunters are back on the road.
Florida hosts an annual hunt for Burmese pythons each year to help control the invasive snake species. Participants can win substantial cash prizes. However, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) emphasizes that catching as many snakes as possible is not the only goal.
The annual Florida Python Challenge hunt has begun in the U.S. state of Florida. This ten-day event is not just about catching as many Burmese pythons as possible and winning one of the total $30,000 cash prizes, as Sarah Funck from the FWC stressed. The hunt aims to raise awareness about invasive species issues in Florida and engage the public.
"These snakes are well-established in large parts of South Florida," Funck said about Burmese pythons. People should be aware that non-native species introduced and released into the state can have significant environmental impacts. The hunt was launched ten years ago and has often made headlines due to prize giveaways and celebrity participation.
This year, over 600 participants have registered, including two from Canada and over 100 from other U.S. states. Hunters are now searching for the snakes in designated areas, aiming to kill as many as possible humanely. Prizes will be awarded in three categories: professional hunters employed by the state, military hunters, and new hunters (those not employed as python hunters by the state).
In each category, $2,500 will go to the person or team that kills the most snakes, $1,500 to the second place, and $1,000 to the longest python. The grand prize for the most snakes killed across all categories is $10,000. Each participant or group can only win one prize. Last year, 209 pythons were caught during the challenge. Paul Hobbs won the grand prize by catching 20 snakes. Additionally, FWC and their contractors removed around 2,200 pythons.
Participants must complete training
Amy Siewe, a self-proclaimed python hunter, won a prize last year for catching a 327 cm long Burmese python. This year, she cannot participate due to a knee operation, but she says she is not a fan of the competition anyway. Siewe previously hunted invasive pythons on behalf of the FWC. She believes the original intent of the competition was to raise awareness about the problem. Now, a large number of hunters gather, potentially scaring off and killing snakes that are not invasive species, such as corn snakes or brown water snakes.
Funck from the FWC explains that participants must complete an online training that provides information on how to distinguish Burmese pythons from other snakes. Optional personal training is also offered to identify the animals. "That's an important part of our work: we're trying to educate people on how to identify these pythons and how to safely and humanely capture them," Funck said.
Despite Amy Siewe's absence due to a knee operation, other keen participants have registered for the competition. It's crucial for all participants to complete the mandatory online training provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which helps in identifying Burmese pythons from 'other' snake species. This training is essential to ensure humane and accurate capturing of the invasive snakes.
