Pythons to be eradicated in Florida ?

[Hum]

(Reuters) - Florida wildlife officials are looking for a few good snake slayers as they enlist the public to combat a proliferation of pythons that have invaded the Florida Everglades.

Combating a surge of pets turned predators, state officials have placed a bounty on the Burmese python in an attempt to eradicate the species from the environmentally sensitive marshy region known as the River of Grass.

The latest attempt will enlist the help of professional python hunters and weekend enthusiasts, who will compete beginning January 12 for the cash in what has been dubbed the "2013 Python Challenge."

The goal of the month-long event is to reduce the number of non-native reptiles that are gobbling up indigenous wildlife at an increasing rate. Winners will receive up to $1,500 for the longest snake, while $1,000 will be awarded to the serpent killer who brings in the largest haul.

"Part of the goal of the Python Challenge is to educate the public to understand why non-native species like Burmese pythons should never be released into the wild and encourage people to report sightings of exotic species," said Kristen Sommers, head of exotic species programs for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Burmese pythons became established in 2000 in the state, which has one of the world's worst invasive reptile and amphibian problems.

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[DocM]

I hope they are eradicated - they're an invasive (non-native aggressive) species that's raising hell wirh the local ecosystem. Time to go.

[123456789A]

Yeah get rid of those nasty snakes or ship them back to where they came from.

[Anibal P]

This is why I've never had or allowed any snakes in my home, they either escape or get too big and someone thinks the smart thing to do is release it

[Pam14160]

Instead of the pathons may be the humans first. . .talk about invasive. . . :woot:

[Hum]

Hope that they get rid of all the snakes. :woot:

[Growled Member]

The only good snake is a dead one.

[123456789A]

They should eradicate snakes from the midwest too. I've had it with these *** snakes on these *** plains!

[remixedcat]

What about snapes?

[Stoffel]

We don't have invasive snakes, but we deal with invasive fish species, the Lionfish

[remixedcat]

We don't have invasive snakes, but we deal with invasive fish species, the Lionfish

The Tigerfish must get stronger to defeat them!!!!

[123456789A]

We don't have invasive snakes, but we deal with invasive fish species, the Lionfish

What about the invasive snakehead fish?