On July 10, hundreds of professional and amateur snake hunters entered the annual Florida Python Challenge, a 10-day race to remove as many of the invasive animals as possible from the Everglades. The person who bags the most snakes will earn a $10,

Burmese pythons have haunted the Florida Everglades for more than two decades, growing from a handful of escaped or released pets into a breeding population that wildlife agencies now count among the most damaging invasive species in North America.

At Wildman's Pizza, visitors stop in for a slice of pie and python hunting history and souvenirs. Many hope to meet Wildman, Dusty Crum.

Burmese pythons are recognizable by more than their size. Hunters should be on the lookout for a telltale, arrow-shaped marking on the snake’s head, along with giraffe-like spots across its body and dark spots around its eyes. During the summer months, they’re most likely to be found sunning on levee banks or near trees.

Florida’s fight against invasive Burmese pythons has increasingly relied on an unusual tool: cash incentives large enough to draw hunters, hobbyists and out-of-state competitors into the swamps for a shot at a payout.