Who is to blame for this decline in wildlife? The invasive species known as Burmese pythons. To help combat this problem against Florida’s ecosystem, snake hunters gather by the hundreds for the Florida Python Challenge. The event, created by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, began in 2013. “I love snakes. I hate that we have to do this, but they’re invasive and they change the whole ecosystem.” professional python hunter Amy Siewe told CNN. According to the committee, these reptiles were spotted as early as 1979 in Florida. “They were introduced to Florida through accidental and intentional release through the pet trade,” a commission spokesperson told CNN on Friday. Since then, they have killed and continue to pose a major threat to wildlife. The event brings hundreds of professional snake hunters to the Everglades to hunt and kill the reptiles. By Friday, more than 850 people had registered, the committee said. August 5 marked the start of this year’s 10-day challenge. To join, members had to take an online training course and pay a $25 registration fee. The hunter who brings back the most pythons wins $2,500. Last year, participants killed more than 200 pythons. In addition to the challenge, removal efforts continue throughout the year. Since 2000, more than 17,000 pythons have been removed and reported, according to the commission. Michael Kirkland, a biologist with the South Florida Water Management District, told CNN that the pythons “have been decimating wildlife for years.” “The challenge is designed to remove as many pythons from the area as possible,” he said, “detection and human removal are the most efficient and effective tools in the toolbox right now.” Contractors hired in the water management district work year-round and take part in the challenge of capturing the creatures. Kirkland said there has been a decline of up to 90% of the animals in the area due to the pythons.
Full time
Among the many taking part in the challenge this year are Siewe and Donna Kalil. Kalil told CNN that he has been hunting the reptiles professionally since 2017. Siewe was hired a few years later in 2019. Together, the two have killed more than 1,000 pythons — Kalil more than 670 and Siewe nearly 400. Both share a love of creatures, but understand the importance of this challenge. “Hunters are the best way we have right now to help with this problem,” Siewe said. Kalil grew up in Florida and said when she went to the Everglades as a child there were “so many rabbits you couldn’t count them all.” Fast forward to the 2000s, when Kalil said there were virtually no rabbits, possums or raccoons as a result of the pythons. In last year’s challenge, Kalil took home the $2,500 prize for removing the most pythons in her 19 years. He has been participating since 2013. This will be Siewe’s third year. In her first year, she won second place for heaviest snake. The two will base their hunt on factors such as weather, time of day and sleep schedule. “This time of year, the night is better to go out,” Kalil said. And hunting is not easy. During her career, Siewe suffered several python bites and said she did not recommend it. “It’s like a hot knife going through butter,” Siewe described. Pythons, while not venomous, have hundreds of teeth that are sharp, according to Siewe. The creatures can grow to enormous sizes and it’s quite a feat to deal with them. Siewe said her biggest catch was 17 feet and 110 pounds, which she caught at 5-foot-4. Khalil shares that you can’t catch them all. “I’ve missed four in my career,” he said. “It can be difficult at night in the water and weeds.” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was a big fan of the python challenge. In a June press release, he said, “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and look forward to seeing the results of this year’s Python Challenge.” In fact, his wife, Casey DeSantis, shared at a press conference Friday that her 10-year anniversary gift to the governor was a pair of python skin boots.
