Florida is once again asking the public to help tackle one of the state's biggest invasive-species problems: Burmese pythons in the Everglades.
The 10-day Florida Python Challenge returns July 10, offering a $10,000 top prize to the person who removes the most snakes.
According to Popular Science, Everglades National Park said it is partnering with local organizations to bring back the annual competition, which is meant to slow the spread of Burmese pythons across South Florida.
From July 10 to 19, registered participants can capture and humanely kill as many pythons as possible in approved areas.
Captured snakes must be taken to official check stations within 24 hours so they can be measured and counted toward each hunter's total. Prizes are awarded both for the most pythons removed and for the longest snake.
The challenge has become a high-profile part of Florida's response to a worsening ecological problem.
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Last year's challenge drew 934 participants from across the U.S. and Canada, who removed a record 294 pythons. The grand prize winner took down 60 snakes in 10 days, while the longest python measured 15 feet 11 inches.
Burmese pythons are not native to Florida. They entered the U.S. through the pet trade in the 1970s, and some owners later released them into the wild after realizing how large the snakes could grow. Adult Burmese pythons often reach about 13 feet long.
Once the species became established in the Everglades, the area's favorable conditions and the lack of pressure from native predators contributed to its rapid spread and rise to the top of the food chain.
Researchers have estimated the python population in the Everglades and nearby regions at somewhere between 100,000 and 300,000. This has taken a heavy toll on native wildlife and the ecosystem's balance.
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The Everglades supports a wide range of plants and animals and plays a major role in South Florida's environmental health. When invasive species disrupt that system, the effects reach beyond the park.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission calls the pythons a potential "threat to human safety" and warns they "may also prey upon pets such as cats and dogs."
Participants must first complete an online safety course and follow strict event rules before entering designated hunting areas. Neither firearms nor trained hunting animals may be used. Organizers instead recommend methods such as air guns or pithing techniques to quickly kill the snakes.
The competition alone will not solve Florida's python problem, but officials see it as one tool in a management strategy already underway in the region.
"Protecting Everglades National Park, one of the world's most globally significant ecosystems, requires ongoing partnerships and community stewardship," Everglades National Park superintendent Pedro Ramos said in a statement. "By engaging the public in science-based invasive species management, we are able to raise awareness and strengthen support for conservation across South Florida."
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