EVERGLADES, Fla. — Florida's burmese python removal effort goes on, with kills tripling from 235 last July to 748 this July, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The state has invested $2 million in python removal funding as part of an ongoing battle against the invasive species that threatens the Everglades ecosystem.
WATCH: Fox 4's Eric Lovelace spoke to a hunter who consistently hunts the swamps:
The Florida Wildlife Commission partnered with Inversa, a private leather retailer, in May to set python removal goals that were met a year and a half ahead of schedule. DeSantis announced the achievement during a recent press conference, highlighting the success of the state's investment in professional python hunting programs.
"FWC and Inversa have tripled the number of python removals," DeSantis said.
Professional python hunter Amy Siewe, known as the "Python Huntress," moved to Florida specifically to learn the trade. She spends her evenings hunting in the Everglades, targeting what she calls the apex predator of the entire ecosystem.
"They have a voracious appetite, so they're eating their way through the Everglades," Siewe said.
Despite not being a Florida native, Siewe has mastered navigating the Everglades. Her dedication to python hunting began after catching her first 9-footer, which she says hooked her.
"It's very difficult to find them and catch them," Siewe said.
The Burmese pythons have no natural predators in Florida, making human intervention the primary method of population control. However, Siewe warns that despite the increased kill numbers, the problem remains far from solved.
"Hunting is the most effective thing we have right now, but it's not very effective," Siewe said. "We need something more, a lot of research is being done to find a better solution, and I hope they come up with it."
DeSantis has asked the Florida Legislature to maintain python removal funding in the upcoming legislative session, emphasizing the ongoing nature of this environmental challenge.
Siewe hopes that current hunting efforts can buy enough time for researchers to develop more effective solutions to address the race between the growing python population and removal efforts.
