PETA: Florida Python Challenge Decapitations Unethical

TALLAHASSEE, FL — As snake hunters gear up for Florida’s 2016 Python Challenge, PETA has issued its own challenge to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

While the nonprofit organization dedicated to animal rights isn’t necessarily opposed to the hunt that targets invasive Burmese pythons, it’s not keen on the method hunters can use to put down the critters.

“Pythons who have had their heads hacked off remain alive and will writhe in agony for hours if their brains are not immediately destroyed,” PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk said in a statement. “PETA is calling on Florida officials to stop authorizing snake decapitation and make it clear that this egregiously inhumane killing method is unacceptable.”

Instead of decapitations, PETA would like to see the state restrict “approved killing methods to the use of captive-bolt guns or firearms, which, if used properly, instantly kill the animals,” a PETA media release said.

PETA is also taking issue with the challenge’s use of a “bounty-like” system to promote the eradication of invasive snakes. Paying out rewards that can climb as high as $5,000 doesn’t work, the organization contends. Citing a report from the U.S. Geological Survey, PETA noted that “any feature that adds value to an invasive species … creates economic pressure to assure the population’s continuation.”

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In a letter sent to FWC by PETA’s Lori Kettler, deputy general counsel, dated Jan. 5, the organization implored the state to ban stunning and decapitation in this year’s challenge, which begins Jan. 16. As for the bounty issue, PETA asked the state to consider that point for future challenges.

Whether Florida will change the rules of the game this close to the challenge’s kickoff date remains unclear. FWC has received PETA’s letter, however, and agrees humane practices are a must.

“We believe there is an ethical obligation to ensure a Burmese python is killed in a humane manner,” FWC spokeswoman Katie Purcell told Patch. “We are in the process of reviewing the letter and will respond.”

The 2016 Python Challenge begins at noon on Saturday, Jan. 16, and runs through 7 p.m. Feb. 14.

With prizes ranging from $750 to $5,000, the bounty for the invasive critters makes the upcoming 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.

“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.

Competitors will only be able to remove Burmese pythons from specific areas included in the competition.

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.

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