Fish and Wildlife officials

A hunter has won Florida's annual Python Challenge after capturing what organisers called an astonishing number of Burmese pythons. The competition, run by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, invites the public to hunt the invasive snakes in the Everglades, where they devastate native wildlife. Officials praised the winning total as a significant contribution to protecting the ecosystem.

Fish and Wildlife officials are encouraging hunters to use non-lead ammunition. Lead bullets can fragment on impact and poison scavenging wildlife such as eagles and vultures, and can also pose health risks to people eating game meat. Officials are promoting alternatives like copper bullets as safer for animals and humans alike.