On August 5th 2022 over 800 people gathered in the Everglades for a Python hunting competition! These competitors are hunting for Burmese pythons. The Burmese pythons are an invasive species. They aren’t native to Florida, but they were accidentally released into the Everglades. Now that they’ve gotten comfortable and don’t want to leave. The Burmese python is destroying the balance of the Everglades ecosystem. The hunters are competing for a 2,500 dollar prize! The Florida government decided that the most efficient way to get rid of the invasive species would be to challenge the local residents, and ask them to protect the ecosystem. Even though many people have expressed sympathy for the Burmese python, they also understand how harmful the species is to their home and ecosystem.

Cites

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2022/06/16/heres-how-to-get-involved-in-the-2022-florida-python-challenge/

https://www.timeforkids.com/g56/python-challenge/