Florida's python hunt yields 41 snakes so far Florida's python
hunt yields 41 of the invasive snakes so far; ends in less than
2 weeks More than three dozen Burmese pythons have been hunted
during Florida's "Python Challenge" that ends in less than two
weeks. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
said Friday that 41 of the invasive snakes have been killed in
the Everglades since the competition began Jan. 12. University
of Florida researchers examine each snake hoping to learn more
about the elusive species. No one knows for sure how many
pythons live in South Florida. Wildlife officials say
eradicating pythons from the Everglades was never the goal of
the monthlong challenge. Instead, they hoped to raise awareness
about the snake's threat to native wildlife and the fragile
Everglades ecosystem. The snake faces both state and federal
bans. More than 1,000 people signed up for the challenge that
ends Feb. 10. Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights
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