800 Hobby Hunters Chase Pythons in Florida

More than 800 participants will spend the next eight days trekking through the Florida Everglades in search of invasive Burmese pythons, competing for thousands of dollars in prize money.

The python hunt has officially begun and runs until 5 p.m. on August 15, as organisers announced in Miami at the launch of the annual event.

«This matters, because every python removed is one fewer invasive species threatening our native birds, mammals, and reptiles«, said Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis.

Since 2000, more than 17’000 pythons have been removed from the Everglades ecosystem. Burmese pythons, which are not native to Florida, prey on birds, mammals, and other reptiles. A female python can lay up to 100 eggs per year.

Both the professional and beginner categories offer cash prizes of up to $2’500 for those who catch the most pythons, according to authorities. Additional prizes are awarded for the longest python in each category. Every python must be dead, and hobby hunters are disqualified if they kill one inhumanely or kill a native snake.

First, the snake must be rendered unconscious using a captive bolt device or an air pistol, and then the brain must be carefully destroyed with a sharp tool such as a screwdriver rotated within the skull cavity.

So far, hobby hunters from 32 states and Canada have registered. Registrations are accepted throughout the duration of the competition. The entry fee is $25, and participants must also complete an online training course.

Last year, the winner of the Python Challenge killed 223 snakes. The longest snake removed measured 4.5 metres. Since 2000, more than 17’000 pythons have been removed from the Everglades.