Photo: Supakorn Rattanarach / iStock / Getty Images
FLORIDA - The Florida Python Challenge returns July 11th with a $10,000 prize for participants who help remove invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades in a high-stakes wildlife conservation effort.
The Florida Python Challenge will officially launch at midnight on July 11th and wrap up the evening of July 20th.
Organized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission along with the South Florida Water Management District, this annual event invites registered participants to help remove Burmese pythons, a species that has caused major harm to local ecosystems since appearing in the wild.
According to news reports, this year’s event includes a new twist.
For the first time, participants will be able to hunt within Everglades National Park, which has been added as an approved location for the challenge.
The top prize of the competition is $10,000, awarded to the individual who captures the most pythons.
Additional prizes will be handed out in separate categories for professionals, novices and members of the military.
Last year’s challenge resulted in the removal of 195 snakes.
Since the start of the program, more than one thousand Burmese pythons have been successfully taken out of the Everglades, which has helped protect native wildlife from the invasive threat.
To compete, individuals must register and complete a required training course designed to ensure safety and compliance.
The challenge is open to residents and out-of-state visitors.