The 9-day Florida Python Challenge takes place in the Everglades
The annual Florida Python Challenge begins on Friday at 12:01 am and ends at 5 pm on Aug, 18. Participants can win more than $25,000 in prizes as they remove Burmese pythons. that invade South Florida.
Burmese pythons, which are not native to Florida, have a negative impact on wildlife. This invasive species is mostly found in the Everglades and Everglades region of South Florida, where it preys on birds, mammals and other reptiles. The Florida Python Challenge is a 10-day competition created by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that helps protect the Everglades and all its wildlife by eliminating invasive Burmese pythons. Participants have nine days to kill as many Burmese pythons as possible.
In 2023, the Florida Python Challenge removed 209 invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades. A total of 917 pythons have been removed during the challenge since it started. A total of 1,050 participants from 35 states (and Belgium) have registered for the 10-day competition in 2023.
Where will the python challenge take place?
The Florida Python Challenge will take place in seven commission-controlled states in South Florida.
What are the rules of the Florida Python Challenge?
◾ Participants must take a printed or digital copy of the Florida Python Challenge registration notification email with them during the hunt.
◾ Participants must complete the required training online and receive a unique completion code.
◾ Only Burmese pythons are removed from the competition areas by valid entries.
◾ The use of firearms is prohibited during the competition.
◾ The use of dogs or other animals to search, capture or kill is not permitted.
◾ Air guns and threaded bolts are allowed.
◾ Python carcasses must be kept refrigerated or frozen and turned into a Florida Python Challenge testing station within 24 hours of capture.
Awards for the Florida Python Challenge
The awards will be presented by the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. There is a $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize awarded to the participant who removes the most pythons. There are three levels of competition: Professional, Novice, and Military. Each group has these awards within them.
◾ Multiple pythons in a group: $2,500.
◾ Multiple pythons in second class: $1,500.
◾ Longest Python in class: $1,000.
Where do Burmese pythons live?
Originating in Southeast Asia, the Burmese python has been introduced to southern Florida either through accidental escapes or the deliberate release of captive animals.
In 1979, the first sighting of a Burmese python in South Florida was recorded in Everglades National Park. The heaviest python ever caught in Florida was an 18-foot, 215-pound snake. It was caught by a biologist with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida in Naples in 2021.
The size of the Burmese python
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission keeps track of the length and weight of Burmese pythons after they are reported. The longest Burmese python ever caught in Florida, in July 2023, was over 19 meters long.
What should you do if you see a Burmese python?
Summer is the best time of year to see Burmese pythons. During the summer months, Burmese pythons may remain sedentary during the day, but at night they may be active and easily spotted crossing overhangs or roads.
A report by the US Geological Survey last year shows that Burmese pythons are expanding their range so fast that they can be marked several kilometers a year in some areas.
If you see a Burmese python, take a picture, mark your location, and call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 888-483-4681. You can personally kill Burmese pythons on private land at any time with the landowner’s permission. You do not need a license to kill invasive species. Running pythons is not allowed.
There are many ways to raise pythons personally, but here are the basic guidelines from the fish and wildlife commission:
◾ Step 1: Sudden loss of consciousness.
◾ Use a bolt, shotgun or air rifle to shoot directly into the brain.
◾ Step 2: Brainstorm.
◾ Make sure python is ignorant.
◾ Insert a small stick, such as a screwdriver, spike, or pick, into the spine and twist to ensure that the entire brain is destroyed.
Contributor: Kendall Little, Naples Daily News
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