Hunters will target Burmese pythons in the Florida Everglades
during the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's
first ever Python Challenge, starting in January. / Tim Donovan,
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission TALLAHASSEE,
Fla. - From California to New Hampshire; Crawfordville, Fla.; to
Miami, more than 200 people from 24 states will descend on South
Florida in January to try to nab a Burmese python. With help
from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and
the University of Florida, they will have a chance to help
loosen the 30-year grip of the species on the Everglades. The
2013 Python Challenge, the trademarked brainchild of the state,
is aimed at capturing as many Burmese pythons as possible and
registration is still open. Florida already spends $300,000 to
$350,000 a year on removal of the snakes that are native to
southeast Asia. State wildlife officials also want to raise
awareness about a species that can grow to more than 20 feet and
poses a threat to the