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.

The 10-day competition aims to help capture and humanely kill the invasive species, which the state says threaten local wildlife.