Overview
- Wildman's Pizza in Everglades City is accepting recently and humanely killed Burmese pythons as payment for menu items during the Florida Python Challenge, which runs July 10–19.
- Owner Dusty Crum says he gives away python-topped pies rather than selling them because Florida health rules require licensed processing for commercial meat sales.
- Crum uses other python parts for products such as rendered fat for oils and soaps and bones for jewelry, and he says the restaurant has become an informal hub for Challenge participants.
- The Florida Python Challenge is organized by the South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and awards a $10,000 top prize plus additional payouts across categories.
- Burmese pythons are an established invasive predator in South Florida with estimated populations of roughly 100,000–300,000, and local efforts like the Challenge and community reuse aim to reduce their pressure on native wildlife while raising questions about public-health rules and local markets.