You are too late to participate in this year's Python Challenge (the 2013 challenge ran from January 12-February 10) but you have plenty of time to plan for next year. Nearly 1,500 hunters registered for this years hunt. The winner who bags the most snakes gets $1,500,the biggest python is worth $1,000. At this point you may be wondering why the hunt was organized,the answer is that the pythons are bio-pollution and are pushing native mammals to the edge of extinction.
The snakes are easy to catch but difficult to find as their brown and black coloration makes for nearly perfect camouflage. The Challenges rules stipulate that the snakes must be killed in the field. The first python caught in the Everglades was in 1979 since that time their population has dramatically increased. In 2010 more than 130 snakes were caught,in 2011 that number increased to 169. Meanwhile raccoons sightings have decreased by 99% opossums 98% and bobcats 88%. There have also been undigested deer found in larger pythons.
This bio-pollution was caused by irresponsible pet owners that released their pets into the wild when they either grew tired of them or they became too expensive to keep. So please think and do your research before acquiring any pet.
The snakes are easy to catch but difficult to find as their brown and black coloration makes for nearly perfect camouflage. The Challenges rules stipulate that the snakes must be killed in the field. The first python caught in the Everglades was in 1979 since that time their population has dramatically increased. In 2010 more than 130 snakes were caught,in 2011 that number increased to 169. Meanwhile raccoons sightings have decreased by 99% opossums 98% and bobcats 88%. There have also been undigested deer found in larger pythons.
This bio-pollution was caused by irresponsible pet owners that released their pets into the wild when they either grew tired of them or they became too expensive to keep. So please think and do your research before acquiring any pet.
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