MIAMI – Competition begins Friday to remove giant invasive snakes that threaten native wildlife in Florida’s Everglades.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s 10-day 2022 Florida Python Challenge is designed to assist eradicate the 1000’s of Burmese pythons which have turn into well-established in South Florida by providing hunters money prizes that vary from $1,500 for the longest snake to $2,500 for probably the most kills.
Additional prizes are provided for active-duty army personnel and veterans.
The value to take part within the hunt is $25 and people registering should cross a 30-minute on-line coaching program.
Commission Chairman Rodney Barreto referred to as the python problem a part of the state’s bigger effort to manage the invasive snakes.
“There is so much money being put into the Everglades to restore it, we need to make sure that once that’s complete, that we eradicate this non-native animal,” Barreto stated.
The snakes are “destroying the natural food chain,” based on South Florida Water Management District Board member Ron Bergeron.
“You can’t have a healthy environment without a healthy food chain,” he stated lately.
“So, it’s extremely important to the environment.” The hunt is confined to the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area, Frog Pond Public Small Game Hunting Area, Holey Land Wildlife Management Area, Rocky Glades Public Small Game Hunting Area, Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area and the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area.
More than 16,000 snakes have been eliminated since 2000.
