NBC 6 South Florida
Burmese Pythons have been making themselves at home in the Florida Everglades.
Eleven Burmese Pythons have been turned in following the opening weekend of the 2013 Python Challenge.
That was the latest count of snakes captured and turned in by participants as of 4 p.m. Monday, said Carli Segelson, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman.
The FWC is holding the event for the first time this year in an effort to reduce the population of the predators, who eat just about anything and endangering the ecosystem of the Florida Everglades.
The person who captures the most Burmese Pythons – which are nonvenomous constrictors – between now and Feb. 10 will take home a $1,500 prize. A thousand dollars is being offered for the longest such snake caught.
The contest kickoff Saturday drew people from across Florida and at least 30 other states.
Largest Florida Burmese Python Caught in Everglades
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