Talk about getting rid of unwanted guests. The US state’s wildlife officials marked a milestone this week, with the 5,000th Burmese python removed from the national park since the Government started paying public snake hunters to track down the invasive species three years ago.
The Burmese python kills hundreds of native species and produces up to 100 eggs each year so the South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission decided to take these measures to turf them.
During Florida’s python elimination program, hunters walk through the swampy areas of Everglades, wrangling the predators – which can reach up to six metres (eek!) in length.
The captured pythons are then handed over alive to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to be weighed and euthanised.
They still have a way to go however.
Scientists estimate anywhere between 30,000 and 150,000 Burmese pythons exist in Florida.
Definitely not signing up for that job anytime soon.
