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.

A routine stop in the Florida Everglades quickly became a stark reminder of just how deeply invasive Burmese pythons have taken hold in the wetland.

People who remove the most Burmese pythons – one of the largest snakes in the world – get a hefty sum of $10,000, and there are other grand prizes.