PAGE 12 - January 23, 2013
The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
FWC kicks off 2013
Python Challenge
Nearly 800 people are registered and ready to compete to see who can bring in the
longest and the most Burmese pythons from designated public lands in south Florida, the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced today at the 2013
Python Challenge™ Kickoff in Davie.
For competitors, the challenge is to harvest the well-camouflaged Burmese python,
which can grow to more than 17 feet in the wild in Florida, with the chance of winning
prizes of up to $1,500. Registrants are coming from more than 30 other states. They will
have from 1 p.m. today through midnight on Sunday, Feb. 10 to find these nonvenomous
constrictors.
For the FWC, the primary goals of the Python
Challenge™ are to raise public awareness and increase
the agency s knowledge base regarding this invasive
species and how to better understand and address im-
This week's fishing picture is Harry Reinke of Inglis with a Black Drum and a Redfish caught
pacts on the Everglades ecosystem, including native
on a live shrimp close to Hodges Island.
wildlife.
“The 2013 Python Challenge™ is an unprec-
edented effort to focus public interest, support and di-
rect involvement to help deal with Burmese pythons,”
said FWC Chairman Kenneth Wright at the kickoff
news conference. “The FWC is pleased that so many
people are joining this earnest effort to limit the im-
pact of this invasive species on Florida s diverse na-
tive wildlife. Floridians and people from all across the
United States truly care about the Florida Everglades,
and they are clearly eager to help us better understand
and solve this problem,” Wright added.
“When they harvest snakes, Python Challenge™ competitors will be collecting
valuable data that will contribute to the current Burmese python research and management
efforts of the FWC and its partners,” Wright said. “We are grateful to Python Challenge™
participants, sponsors and partners for helping make this event happen.”
Excited bargain hunters get “ready to roll” in Homosassa prior to a full day of shopping as Hospice of
The kickoff is the first of two public awareness events. The Python Challenge™
Citrus County/Hospice of the Nature Coast presented the first annual Thrift Shoppe Bus Tour. Partici-
concludes with an Awareness and Awards Event on Saturday, Feb. 16.
pants were able to “get their shoppe on” by touring five Shoppes from Homosassa to Chiefland.
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