The Florida Everglades supports a variety of native animals but over the years the pet trade and keepers of exotic animals have introduced a variety of invasive species including birds, mammals, fish and reptiles.
The invasive Burmese python does not belong in Everglades ecosystem and pose a threat to native wildlife. The Florida Python Challenge billed as an exciting conservation effort which helps protect the Everglades habitat and the native life forms native to the region
The python removal competition begins at 8:00 a.m. on August 5, 2022 and ends at 5 p.m. on August 14, 2022.
Declines in wildlife are documented – deer, raccoons, possums, and fox were once abundant in the south Florida National Park. Today these species are uncommon to see. The decline is usually attributed to the invasive Burmese Pythons.
The Florida Python Challenge was created by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and it started in 2013.
To help combat this problem against Florida’s ecosystem, snake hunters are congregating in the hundreds for the Florida Python Challenge. The commission, note that the reptiles were detected as early as 1979 in Florida.
The event attracts hundreds of professional snake hunters to the Everglades to hunt and kill the reptiles. As of Friday, more than 850 people had signed up. Participation requires an online training course and a $25 registration fee. The hunter who brings back the most pythons wins $2,500.
Last year (2021), participants killed more than 200 pythons. Since 2000, more than 17,000 pythons have been removed. Contractors hired by the water management district work year-round and participate in the challenge to capture the creatures. Prey populations have declined up to a 90% decline of animals in the area due to pythons.
While this may be a fun event for the hunters and the state of Florida – the simple fact of the matter is there is no good way to control the invasive snakes. Hunting them may help keep the numbers down, but the females have many offspring, and they grow relatively fast. Controlling the snakes long term is simply not yet possible.
My next post will discuss the Reticulated Python population that is now well established in Puerto Rico.
References
Smart, S, 2022, Hunters are swarming the Florida Everglades for the annual python challenge. The state says it’s vital to save the ecosystem. The-CNN-Wire
