Hunting Pythons In Florida
The "Python Challenge" is organized by the Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and nearly 800 people have signed
up to hunt Burmese pythons on public lands in Florida. Experts say the
invasive species is decimating native wildlife in the Florida
Everglades. For the first time, the public is joining licensed hunters
in the search for the snakes.
A Burmese python is displayed at
the kick-off ceremonies in Davie, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013 for the
2013 "Python Challenge" organized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission. Nearly 800 people have signed up to hunt
Burmese pythons on public lands in Florida. Experts say the invasive
species is decimating native wildlife in the Florida Everglades. For the
first time, the public is joining licensed hunters in the search for
the snakes.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Captain
Jeff Fobb handles a 13 foot, 85 pound Burmese python during a
demonstration at the 2013 Python Challenge at the Kickoff event in
Davie, Florida January 12, 2013. So far, 750 members of the public and
twenty eight permit holders will compete for prizes in hunting the
non-native Burmese python in the month long event.
Permit holding hunter Rodney
Irwin uses a pair of binoculars to scan the canal bank for Burmese
pythons from a small boat at dusk in the Everglades during a
state-sponsored snake hunt, near Homestead, Florida January 15, 2013.
Python Challenge 2013 is a month-long event sponsored by the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offering prizes of $1,500 for
the most pythons captured and $1,000 for the longest python.
Trapper "Python Dave" Leibman
holds a roll of snake skins he is selling at the Python Challenge
kick-off in Davie, Fla. Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. Roughly 2,050 pythons
have been harvested in Florida since 2000, according to the conservation
commission. It’s unknown exactly how many are slithering through the
wetlands.
TV crews pet and take photos as
Capt. Jeff Fobb from the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Venom Response Unit,
holds a python during the kick-off ceremonies for the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission's month-long "Python Challenge" in
Davie, Fla. on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. The 13-foot reptile was captured
in a backyard swimming pool in 2012.
Rodney Irwin looks over his
shoulder at his veiled chameleon lizard during the kick-off ceremonies
for the 2013 Python Challenge in Davie, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013.
Irwin said he had rescued the lizard, native to Yemen, after it was
turned loose by a breeder near the Everglades. Wildlife experts say
pythons are just the tip of the invasive species iceberg. Florida is
home to more exotic species of amphibians and reptiles than anywhere
else in the world, said John Hayes, dean of research for the University
of Florida’s Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences.
A 13 foot, 85 pound Burmese
python lies in the grass during a demonstration at the 2013 Python
Challenge at the kickoff event in Davie, Florida January 12, 2013. So
far, 750 members of the public and twenty eight permit holders will
compete for prizes in hunting the non-native Burmese python in the month
long event.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Captain
Jeff Fobb handles a 13 foot, 85 pound Burmese python during a
demonstration at the 2013 Python Challenge at the kickoff event in
Davie, Florida January 12, 2013. So far, 750 members of the public and
twenty eight permit holders will compete for prizes in hunting the
non-native Burmese python in the month long event.
