Monster Python Bagged In Florida

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL — As hunters converge on South Florida to help rid the state of invasive Burmese pythons that have taken up residence in its wetlands, one of the biggest catches so far doesn’t count toward the $5,000 grand prize.

The monstrous 16-foot, 10-inch python was bagged by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer shortly after the multi-week competition kicked off. It seems the officer spotted the critter sunning itself in the Rocky Glades Small Game Area in Miami-Dade County.

The python “was humanely euthanized and turned over to an FWC Python Challenge drop-off location so that scientists can collect valuable data from this snake,” FWC wrote on its Facebook page.

The state’s Python Challenge kicked off Jan. 16 and continues through 7 p.m. Feb. 14. As of Monday, Jan. 25, 61 pythons had been bagged in the challenge, rivaling the 68 captured during the 2013 event. With prizes ranging from $750 to $5,000, the bounty for the invasive critters makes the challenge an attractive one for individuals who feel they have what it takes to battle the Everglades and come out with a snake in hand.

See Also:

• Catch Pythons, Get Paid
• 10-Foot Python Suns on Florida Beach
• Python Camouflages Itself in Flea Market Clothes

“The intent of the 2016 Python Challenge is to engage the public in participating in Everglades conservation through invasive species removal,” explained FWC’s Carli Segelson. “The Everglades ecosystem is a national treasure and the 2016 Python Challenge will allow people to be a part of the long-term solution of managing invasive wildlife in Florida.”

Florida residents and out-of-state competitors will find they don’t need a Florida hunting license to participate, Segelson said. Those who want to participate are required, however, to complete an online training module and pass a quiz with at least an 80 percent before they can register. Although the challenge has officially begun, participants can still register.

Competitors will are only allowed to remove Burmese pythons from specific areas included in the competition. The Rocky Glades area where the monster python was bagged happens to be one of those areas. So far, 900 people have registered for the event. Data on how big the 61 pythons captured as of Monday happen to be won’t be available until later in February, Segelson said.

Burmese pythons have become a real concern in South Florida where reports of the critters continue to make headlines as a variety of small mammals – including domestic pets – serve as staples in their diets. In recent months, a python created a scene on a south Florida beach while another one snuggled up in flea market clothes. Burmese pythons can grow to more than 23 feet in length, according to National Geographic.

The non-native creatures have been a problem in South Florida since the 1980s with their population continuing to grow. The state launched its first challenge in 2013 to cull the numbers and allows harvesting in several management areas, according to the FWC website.

The state’s 2013 Python Challenge drew an estimated 1,600 hunters. Only 68 snakes were bagged. Even so, participants were eligible for cash prizes with $1,500 going to those responsible for the largest harvests. Prizes were also awarded to hunters who bagged the biggest python with the $1,000 reward going to Paul Shannon for a 14-foot, 3-inch Burmese.

To learn more about the competition, visit the Python Challenge’s website.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission