Hiiiiissssss! Why Florida needs your help to hunt pythons down

The Great Python Challenge enlists members of the public to catch Burmese pythons, a giant invasive species that has made its home in the Sunshine State

As the north-eastern part of the United States dealt with blizzard weather, a stork cut through a clear blue Everglades sky. Leo Sanchez and Tim Meyer walked near a canal lined by mangroves, fending off a swarm of gnats. By Floridian standards, this January morning was still pretty chilly, which meant it held potential for the two hunters to catch a sunning Burmese python.

The two men were participating in this year's Great Python Challenge and were hoping to break the record for longest ever caught in Florida (to date, that's 18ft 8in). Sanchez stopped, then jutted into the brush holding a 40in snake hook (think golf club meets dental pick), but usually grabs pythons with his bare hands.