The 2023 Florida Python Challenge will be sponsored by Inversa Leathers, a manufacturer of luxury leathers made from invasive species, and will have a $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize. The sponsorship will be a first for a fashion brand to support the fundraiser for Florida Everglades restoration.
The Florida Python Challenge is organized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and South Florida Water Management District, and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to increase public awareness of invasive animals in Florida and their effects. The event, which takes place from August 4–13, 2023, is an awareness campaign about the global threat of invasive species and the colossal damage Florida’s delicate ecosystem has suffered because of invasive python. Participants must register for the competition as part of this event to actively remove pythons from the Everglades over the course of ten days, directly contributing to the fight against the invasive constrictor snakes.
On FLPythonChallenge.org, you can register for the event, complete the mandatory online training, look at the optional training options, discover more about Burmese pythons and the distinctive Everglades ecosystem, and find resources for organizing your trip to South Florida to take part in the Florida Python Challenge.
Florida’s biggest source of biodiversity is found in the Florida Everglades, a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. The ecosystem’s balance has been seriously upset by the invasive Burmese python, which threatens the area’s native animals and provides drinking water for 8 million Floridians and a $1.2 billion fishing sector. According to a recent US Geological Survey (USGS) assessment, Burmese pythons, which were once kept as home pets in the 1980s and 1990s, have expanded to a population of over 150,000.
“Inversa is proud to support the challenge and the greater conservation effort it represents in Florida. By harnessing the global power of the luxury fashion industry, we believe in the potential to rebuild ecosystems,” said Carlos-Henri Ferré, Head of Development for Inversa Leathers.
Inversa Leathers, a regenerative materials company, crafts luxurious leathers out of invasive species, harnessing the power of fashion to support the restoration of Earth’s biodiversity. Starting with three of the most formidable invasive species—the Invasive Lionfish, Invasive Dragonfin, and Invasive Python—Inversa introduces a stylish alternative to exotic and traditional leather.
