Python Hunters 01 Interview

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The first Burmese pythons were spotted in the Everglades in the early 1980s and their population has exploded to over 100,000 by some estimates — and they're rapidly swallowing up other species in the marshlands of South Florida. Therefore, Florida has declared open season on these giant snakes, which are feeding on other animals that live in the Everglades. Each year, the “Florida Python Challenge" starts in January and officials offering prizes of up to $5,000 for the most snakes captured and $3,000 for the biggest python. The state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that a few hundred pythons had been caught since (which in reality did not affect the exploding python population at all but still, it brings money in after all). The captured snakes are euthanized and will be available for research. Hunters can keep the skins if they like — but due to high levels of mercury, authorities don't recommend eating python meat. Python Hunters was filmed by Heiko Kiera aka Ojatro in South Florida 2010. Special thanks to wildlife biologist Joe Wasilefsky for the interview.