EVERGLADES -- South Florida hunters are once again joining forces to catch invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades.
Florida Fish and Wildlife's "Python Challenge 2016" began Saturday and will run through February 14th. The festival aims to reduce South Florida's population of the giant constrictors.
Participants are competing for individual and team prizes, for catching the most pythons and catching the longest one.
Scientists say thousands of pythons are to blame for the decline of native wildlife across Florida's Everglades.
The last python challenge was held in 2013. A total of 68 snakes were captured during that contest, the longest of which was 14 feet 3 inches.
