WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – More than two miles of Burmese pythons have been captured in Florida during the state program aimed at eliminating the invasive species.
The South Florida Water Management District announced Friday that 10.4 tons of snakes, at an average of three pythons per day, have been been eliminated since the program began in March 2017.
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In total, 1,711 snakes have been captured during the program which is attempting to get rid of Burmese pythons that continue to do severe damage to the Everglades ecosystem.
In the Python Elimination Program, professional hunters receive access to District-owned lands in South Florida and receive hourly pay, as well as bonuses depending on the size of the pythons they capture.
Brian Hargrove of Miami has captured 235 snakes, the most of any hunter in the program.
Since the Burmese Python is an invasive species, it has no natural predator in the Everglades. It breeds quickly and destroys natural populations in the area.