Ronald Kiger, has been crowned winner after removing 20 Burmese pythons from the Florida Everglades in the annual Florida Python Challenge.
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| Python in the wild. Photo: Getty Images |
Kiger collected a grand prize of $10,000.
His win was announced on Tuesday by representatives from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in a meeting in Duck Key.
Last year’s runner-up, Kiger, tipped the scales this year, clinching first place by only one snake.
His win is coming following a 10-day hunt in which over 800 people from 33 states and Canada competed for about $25,000 in prize money. The winnings were shared among competitors in the three levels: novice, professional and military.
195 Burmese pythons were removed from the wild, the commission revealed.
A contractor with the South Florida Water Management District, Donna Kalil, won a $2,500 prize for catching 19 pythons in the professional category.
She said: “It can be very dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.
“A big snake can definitely kill you. If it gets around your neck, it could definitely strangle you out.”
HC: Waaat! Python Challenge!! “…very dangerous”
