OCHOPEE, Fla. — If you think you’ve got what it takes to forage through the Everglades and wrestle a 10-foot Burmese python into submission, Florida has a job for you.
The state is in the midst of its annual python challenge, which attracts snake hunters from around the country to try to capture as many pythons as they can. It’s not just for sport but a bid to halt the invasive species from decimating the critical Everglades ecosystem.
More than 850 people from all over the country and Canada registered for this year’s competition and a chance to win $24,000 in cash prizes, including a $10,000 “ultimate grand prize” for removing the most pythons during the 10-day competition.