Catching an aggressive python on Guardians of the Glades never looked easier, but it’s not for the faint of heart or the slow of foot
Our exclusive clip opens with series star Dusty Crum, Jay and his go-to team on the hunt of a fast female who appears to be on the warpath.
This mama snake is strong, angry and as Dusty says, “she’s a feisty one.”
Dusty estimates that this slithering matriarch is 11-12 footer and has a nest nearby, which totally explains her ultra-aggressive tiger mom attack mode she’s using against these humans who dare to invade her nesting area.
The state of Florida has legally sanctioned python hunters for a reason.
The state pays hunters to cull snakes and other invasive species that are wreaking havoc in the welcoming Sunshine state. It is estimated that over 500 invasive species are plaguing the state – thanks in great part to the weather – upsetting the ecosystem and creating some disastrous situations for the existing native animals.
There are moments in the clip where Dusty is within striking distance and nearly is bitten by this snake. You can see how dangerous a snake hunting venture in the Glades actually is with this clip that is pure action and adrenaline. Don’t forget, there are alligators and even crocodiles now in these marshy waters.
The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board has funded the work of Dusty Crum and his team as they work to rid the Everglades and surrounding lands of invasive pythons.
The state began its program of paying hunters per kill in 2017, as these destructive snakes, which have become an apex predator in the Everglades are destroying the natural ecosystems and creating a wildlife imbalance.
The program has green-lit access to python removal in Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier, Hendry and Palm Beach counties. But the snakes are all over in Lee County and even north near Tampa.
And the state has introduced The Florida Python Challenge for 2020. The Python Bowl is a conservation effort to protect the many species living in the Everglades from invasive snake species such as Dusty’s main focus, the Burmese python.
The competition challenged participants to remove as many Burmese pythons as possible from select areas in South Florida.
The #PythonBowl is the ultimate contest for bragging rights among Florida’s python hunters. A few of our favorites from #GuardiansoftheGlades are hunting these invasive species down. ?
Stream the first episode NOW on Discovery GO. –> https://t.co/ExIL1oKO9A pic.twitter.com/12vM0YYTy3
— Discovery (@Discovery) January 17, 2020
The 10-day competition began on Jan. 10, 2020 and will end on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. Dusty and his team were part of the fun as professionals and amateurs each set out to capture the most snakes.
With all of that said, make sure to tune in Tuesday as this exciting episode will really demonstrate the fast-paced and tricky snake hunting techniques Dusty uses — just in case you were thinking of trying it yourself:
Guardians of the Glades airs Tuesday at 10/9c on Discovery.