Florida's hunted Burmese pythons are getting a second life as boots, belts, and bags

Florida's hunted Burmese pythons are getting a second life as boots, belts, and bags

Florida's python problem is getting fresh attention because after some of the massive snakes are taken from the Everglades, their hides are later made into bags, wallets, belts, and boots. But for the hunters involved, commercial use is not the main point. They say the work is really about helping protect the Everglades, one of the country's most fragile ecosystems. What happened? Hunters in South Florida are drawing renewed interest online for …

Snake Hunters Head to Florida for the Wildest, Most Viral Competition in the Country

Florida’s Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District are gearing up for the annual “Python Challenge.” This now-viral event is designed to help curb the rapid spread of the non-native Burmese python, and it has reached worldwide fame in the past several years. For decades pythons have spread throughout much of South Florida, especially in the Everglades region. About 27,000 pythons have been…