What happens when you allow hundreds of snake hunters in the Everglades? You get a winner
We have a winner! And it wasn’t the python.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, in between battling with President Joe Biden about mask mandates, announced that the 2021 Florida Python Challenge has a new king.
The 10-day event, from July 9-18, resulted in the removal of a record 223 invasive pythons from South Florida, DeSantis said.
Kudos to participants of the 2021 Florida #PythonChallenge for removing 223 invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades ecosystem: https://t.co/4AWMFNacq4 #Florida #winners pic.twitter.com/IZkDwg0xMF
— MyFWC (@MyFWC) August 4, 2021
Burmese pythons are not native to Florida and have bad effects on native species. They are found primarily in and around the Everglades, where they prey on birds, mammals and other reptiles.
They can grow to be 26 feet long and over 200 pounds when fully grown.
Florida wants to pay you to stop pythons in the Everglades. How you can be a snake hunter
“Invasive Burmese pythons have wreaked havoc in the Everglades, negatively impacting native ecosystem and biodiversity,” DeSantis said.
Finally, the person who removed the most #pythons overall, receiving the “Ultimate Grand Prize” of $10,000 is… CHARLIE DACHTON, removing 41 pythons! #FWC2021 pic.twitter.com/F6vMrbzk5n
— MyFWC (@MyFWC) August 4, 2021
More than 600 people participated in the risky competition to remove invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades while raising awareness about the species.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the two biggest snakes removed were more than 15 feet long, one clocking in at almost 16 feet.
“Kudos to participants of the 2021 Florida Python Challenge for removing 223 invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades ecosystem!” wrote the FWC in a Facebook post.
We met the father-son duo who snagged the most pythons in this year’s @MyFWC #FloridaPythonChallenge pic.twitter.com/Dl9Bv7ULaw
— Janine Stanwood (@JanineWPLG) August 4, 2021
In addition to the live reptiles, a number of python nests were removed, which will help prevent the snakes from breeding even more, the agency said.
Charlie Dachton, a novice from Southwest Ranches in Broward County, earned the $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize for collecting a whopping 41 pythons. The local adventurer got a little help from his son Chance, he told WPLG Local 10. Together, they scoured in the dark and encountered a nest with 22 python eggs. A female Burmese python may lay 50 to 100 eggs at a time.
“Every one of those babies becomes a little monster,” Charlie Dachton told the station, “and each one of those monsters reproduce.”
Today, @MyFWC announced the winners of the 2021 Florida Python Challenge which resulted in the removal of a record 223 invasive pythons from south Florida. More than 600 people participated in the 10-day event. https://t.co/PYv678rDEt
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 4, 2021
Rounding out the top of the leaderboard was Brandon Call, also a novice, who nabbed a 15-foot, 9-inch long critter.
Professional Dusty “The Wildman” Crum (and one-time “Guardians of the Glades” star) snagged the second longest python at 15 feet, 5 inches.
In first place in the “Professional” category for the longest #python captured, the winner is Dusty Crum! The length of the python captured to win this award was 15 ft. 5 inches. #FWC2021 pic.twitter.com/BTCNn85hu0
— MyFWC (@MyFWC) August 4, 2021