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restoring the Everglades to
its environmental beauty
and glory, but also to protect
it from further harm by
pythons and other invasive
plants and animals. In fact,
late last year the South
Florida Water Management
District Governing Board
Python CHALLENGE its Python Elimination
FLORIDA
dramatically expanded
Program, which has already removed hundreds of these invasive
predators from America’s Everglades following Governor DeSantis’
challenge to the water management district and the Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission to do more to tackle
2020 Python Bowl this problem. We were overwhelmed with interest and received
thousands of applications from around the world to join the fight
by Chauncey Goss, against pythons.
Chairman, South Florida Water Management District Governing Board However, I’d also like the public to know that we are not just
bringing on more people to take the fight to these invaders. We are
ext month, Florida welcomes Super Bowl LIV in Miami, also working with our partners to find new technologies, science and
but that’s not the only bowl happening in South Florida!
tools to fight these snakes wherever they hide. We’re exploring all
NThis month, from January 10 to January 19, the options from tracing python DNA that helps us learn where
South Florida Water Management District and its partners at pythons are to using specially trained dogs that can help locate the
the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are
elusive snakes by scent. This science will give our experts the most
collaboratively hosting the Florida Python Challenge™ 2020 effective means of eliminating these predators. Exploring the use of
Python Bowl. This python removal competition invites people from
new technology as well as tried and true methods such as using dogs
all walks of life as well as experts from around the world to receive will improve efficiency in our efforts to locate pythons.
specialized training and take part in removing the harmful Burmese Removing pythons is an important piece of Everglades
python from our Greater Everglades Ecosystem. Participants are
restoration. If you’ve lived in the Southwest Florida area for a while,
eligible to receive cash and special prizes for the most and heaviest you know that taxpayers in Florida and the entire United States
pythons captured. All of this is part of the Super Bowl Host
have invested billions of dollars to restore America’s Everglades.
Committee’s Ocean to Everglades Initiative. The public can learn Burmese pythons, as well as other invasive plants and animals,
more about the Florida Python Challenge™ threaten to further disrupt our important Everglades ecosystem, and
at FLPythonChallenge.org.
our increased efforts to supercharge the Python Elimintion Program
The Florida Python Challenge™ 2020 Python Bowl is one is making a real difference in removing these harmful, non-native
big step forward in the state’s efforts to remove these invasive
predators from the Everglades ecosystem. Our enhanced stewardship
predators from America’s Everglades. The South Florida Water protects one of the largest wetlands in the world, so that Everglades
Management District took this bold step to not only support flora and fauna will thrive and flourish for generations to come.

100 Life in Naples | January 2020