As many as 300,000 pythons occupy southern Florida. The United States even banned Burmese pythons from entering the country recently, but the already existing population continues to grow. They can be as large as 23 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds. In the early winter of 2013, nearly 1,600 participants in the first Python Challenge™ trekked through more than a million acres of swamps and sawgrass in search of the well-camouflaged Burmese python, but they caught just 68 snakes. Catching them isn’t easy. Finding them is even harder. Read below to see information directly from the Python Challenge, FWC, and see a video on how to capture this invasive species.
From the Python Challenge: The Florida Everglades is an extraordinary ecosystem, unlike any other in the world! It is home to a variety of rare and unique wildlife including native birds, mammals, fish and reptiles. However, some reptiles do not belong there and pose a threat to native wildlife. To address this, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is teaming up with the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to bring back the Python Challenge™ in January 2016, along with a Burmese Python Removal Competition that runs from January 16 through February 14 in south Florida. This exciting conservation effort will help protect the rare Everglades ecosystem and the animals that live there from these invasive, nonnative snakes.
Even if you’re not planning on participating in the python removal competition, you can still get involved by attending the Invasive Species Awareness Festival this Saturday in Miami! Learn more: http://bit.ly/1OLnaV9
Are you interested in participating? The training video below will introduce you and your team to the best ways to search for Burmese pythons. Finding these snakes can be very difficult so training yourself on where and what to look for can prove very beneficial. Be sure to familiarize yourself with approved methods for searching and safe capture of Burmese pythons in all the participating areas you plan to visit.
Searching for the Elusive Burmese Python from My FWC on Vimeo.
