How effective are Burmese python hunters at eradicating invasive pythons?

Paid hunters account for more than half of the 20,000 Burmese pythons killed in Florida since 2006, but eradicating them is nearly impossible.

The monstrous pythons slither through the mangroves and rugged grasslands of the Florida Everglades, 20-foot-long, 200-pound muscle-bound creatures ready to eat anything in their path. In a state rich in invasive birds, fish, lizards, and insects, Burmese pythons reign at the top of the food chain. The animals have reshaped the ecosystems they invaded for nearly 30 years after irresponsible owners dumped them in swamps when they grew too large. The Burmese pythons’ voracious appetite has driven swamp rabbits, wood storks, deer, and even alligators to near extinction. The problem is so severe that Florida is now spending billions of dollars to restore the Everglades, according to Ron Bergeron, a member of the South Florida Water Management Commission.

A decade ago, Florida officials came up with an idea to solve the problem. They sponsored a weeklong python hunt. The first contest, 10 years ago, netted only 68 snakes. This year, about 1,000 people signed up and killed 209 snakes. On September 15, Florida honored the winners of the 2023 contest, which ran from August 4 to 13. The winning team captured 20 snakes in a week and took home the top prize of $10,000.

It might seem like an easy task to find a snake longer and heavier than a full-grown man in a rodent-rich environment, but it's actually extremely difficult. Researchers have not been able to determine exactly how many snakes there are in the wild. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that "tens of thousands" may roam South Florida and are widespread. They have been spotted as far west as Naples, north at Lake Okeechobee and south in the Florida Keys.

“Burmese pythons are apex predators,” said McKayla Spencer, a coordinator at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. “Basically, when they reach adulthood, no one can hunt them except humans.” Along with the annual Python Challenge, Florida pays 100 hunters to catch and kill pythons year-round in a program that began in 2017.

According to Spencer, nearly 20,000 pythons have been killed since 2006, of which 11,000 were killed by paid hunters. Without accurate population numbers to compare, it is difficult to say whether the program is effective on the fast-growing species. Each female python can lay about 100 eggs a year.

Earlier this year, a USGS study concluded that Burmese pythons are here to stay. The report concluded that eradicating pythons in South Florida is nearly impossible. Perhaps in the future, new technology will help find and kill pythons. But for now, officials' goal is simply to remove as many pythons as possible, Spencer said. "Every python removed is one less individual that is harmful to native species," he said.

An Khang (According to Phys.org )

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