Friday marked the start of the annual Florida Python Challenge, where hunters head into the Everglades to track down invasive Burmese pythons in hopes of grabbing a share of $30,000 in prizes. The annual 10-day hunt, which started more than a decade ago, promotes public awareness of issues with invasive species in Florida while engaging the public in Everglades conversation, said Sarah Funck, the wildlife impact management section leader with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "They are a well-established invasive species across much of South Florida, unfortunately, in our natural areas," Funck said of Burmese pythons, per the .
Funck added that the snakes "can be really detrimental to our environment." Over the past decade, the python challenge has grabbed headlines for its incentive-based, only-in-Florida style of hunting, as well as for its celebrity participation. This year, more than 600 people registered for the event.
During the challenge, hunters linger around designated areas spanning through western Broward County to the Tamiami Trail in the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, including other management areas like Southern Glades, Holey Land, and Rotenberger. The goal is to humanely kill as many pythons as possible, and prizes are divided between three groups: professional hunters who work for the state; hunters who are active in the military or are veterans; and novice hunters, which includes anyone who's not working as a state-contracted python h.