Whopping 223 Pythons Wrangled During Competition In South Florida

Snake hunters rounded up hundreds of slithery creatures during an annual Florida contest, and they're no garden snakes!

Many people turned out to nab invasive Burmese pythons this year in the 2021 Florida Python Challenge, according to Yahoo! News. Last week, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced that 223 pythons were captured in South Florida during the contest -- a new record.

These non-native snakes have been wreaking havoc on Florida's ecosystems since they were first introduced decades ago. FWC said these creatures prey on local birds, mammals, and other reptiles. They can grow up to 26 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds.

Over 600 people participated in the competition, which ran from July 9 through July 18, but a Broward County man took home the grand prize of $10,000. Charlie Dachton is a new snake hunter and wrangled 41 pythons during the challenge. He told Local 10 that he got some help from his son Chance.

“Every one of those babies becomes a little monster,” Dachton said, talking about the dozens of eggs Burmese pythons make. “And each one of those monsters reproduce.”

Brandon Call, another novice hunter, secured the longest python in the contest: a 15-foot, 9-inch long python.