Do you dare? If you want to win $10, the state of Florida in the southern United States is offering it if you capture live Burmese pythons in the Everglades.
In an exciting conclusion to the Python Challenge of Florida St This year, Ronald Kiger was crowned the winner of the $10,000 grand prize.
Kiger managed to capture 20 Burmese pythons in the Everglades during the 10-day challenge, which aims to raise awareness about the impact these snakes have on the local ecosystem. Last year, he narrowly missed out on first place, but this time he managed to outperform his competitors.
Donna Kalil, a contractor with the South Florida Water Management District, came within one python of matching Kiger, capturing 19 snakes in the professional category. Kalil received a $2,500 prize for her outstanding performance.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officially announced Kiger's victory at a meeting held Tuesday morning in Duck Key, according to the the press .
$10 goes to Florida for capturing pythons
This year, more than 800 participants from 33 states and Canada joined the challenge, successfully retrieving a total of 195 Burmese pythons from the wild in the Everglades. The remaining prize money was distributed among competitors in the novice, professional, and military categories.
“Since 2017, FWC and South Florida Water Management District contractors have successfully removed more than 14,000 pythons,” said FWC President Rodney Barreto.
“This joint effort continues to have a direct, positive impact on the Everglades and our native wildlife, both through the removal of these snakes and through raising awareness,” he added.
"Anyone may humanely remove and kill pythons and other non-native reptiles at any time on private lands with the landowner's permission and on 32 FWC-managed properties throughout South Florida," the agency stated.