Conservationists and hunters across Florida are preparing for an annual “so Florida” tradition in just a few weeks: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s Python Challenge.
Yes, you read that correctly. The FWC has an annual 10-day challenge, during which python hunters compete for cash. It’s one of many efforts the state has employed to try to keep the python population at bay.
If you’re not from Florida or live here and don’t know: Burmese pythons are invasive in the state and have an established population in a large swath of South Florida, most notably in the Everglades.
The challenge is usually held in August, but this year it will fall in mid-July, beginning one week after Fourth of July weekend.
But one Florida wildlife enthusiast and conservationist doesn’t wait for the yearly challenge to “yoink” these swamp monsters from the Everglades and is hunting for a rumored 20-foot python. Garrett Galvin, known to his 7.8 million Instagram followers as “fishingarrett,” has made a name for himself and the biodiversity of the Everglades online.
His posts on Instagram Reels have gone viral, documenting his encounters with venomous, deadly and non-venomous reptiles (mainly snakes) in the Everglades and the Amazon Rainforest.
Many know him as “the yoink guy” because that’s what he says when reaching for a venomous water moccasin, harmless gecko or deadly python.
Here’s a little bit about Garrett Galvin, how he’s used Florida wildlife to captivate social media and what to know about the yearly Python Challenge in Florida.
Who is fishing Garrett? Florida wildlife enthusiast on the hunt for a 20-foot snake
Garrett Galvin is a Florida-based wildlife enthusiast who has made a name for himself online with his humor and wildlife encounter videos. He consistently raises awareness of how Florida’s invasive pythons disturb the state’s ecosystem, mentioning that the snakes are invasive every time he has one on camera.
Most of his videos are filmed in the Everglades and feature clips of him cheekily “asking” the gators, other snakes and lizards if they’ve seen the 20-foot python rumored to live there.
He’s known for joking around about getting “kisses” from snakes, always telling viewers which snakes are invasive, which are native and which snakes give deadly “kisses.” He also says “yoink” every time he grabs a reptile on camera, which is why he’s known as “the yoink guy” to many.
His mix of education and humor has garnered millions of followers and subscribers across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Favikon, an AI-assisted platform that helps creators grow their following, wrote a blog post about how Galvin’s unique branding has helped his content excel online.
“What sets Garrett apart is his fearless interaction with wildlife, often seen holding or capturing massive snakes in remote habitats,” Favikon blogger Justine Castany wrote in May.
“These moments are not staged — they reflect his day-to-day work in wildlife conservation and education. His content features close-up, high-risk scenarios that are rarely replicated by other creators.”
What was the largest python found in the Everglades?
According to The Naples Daily News, the longest python caught in Florida was found in the Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County on July 10, 2023. It measured 19 feet long.
How does the Florida Python Challenge work?
The Florida Python Challenge is one of the many efforts the FWC has in place to keep the python population in the state as low as possible. It offers a cash prize to the python hunter who removes the most pythons over a 10-day period.
Although the event is usually held in August, it will be held in July this year and will include a broader range of hunting grounds. This year, the challenge will begin on Friday, July 11at 12:01 a.m. and last through Sunday, July 20 at 5 p.m.
“The event, hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District, features an Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000 for the registered participant who removes the most pythons,” the FWC’s website says.
“An exciting addition to this year’s event is the inclusion of Everglades National Park as one of eight official Florida Python Challenge competition locations.”
Registering for the event requires online training. Both the registration for the challenge and the required online training can be found at FLPythonChallenge.org.
Throughout the yearly python challenges, more than 1,100 of the invasive snakes have been removed. Last year’s challenge alone removed 195 invasive Burmese pythons.
How much is a license to hunt pythons in Florida?
Since pythons are invasive and plentiful, you don’t need a license or permit to hunt them in Florida.
Hunting them in Florida is encouraged because Burmese pythons have very few predators. That’s why the FWC runs the statewide python challenge to get the public involved in the hunt for the massive, invasive snakes. Although the chances of completely eradicating pythons from South Florida are low, the hunt helps control their numbers.
“Hunters, anglers and outdoor recreationists with experience removing pythons or other large constrictors from the wild are encouraged to apply, with preference given to Florida residents and military veterans,” the Fort Myers News-Press reported last year.
The FWC also has a Python Action Team that hires contractors to kill the invasive snakes.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: ‘Yoink!’ Florida man fishingarrett doesn’t wait for the Python Challenge to snatch snakes
Reporting by Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
