Latest news with #2025Challenge
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Florida Python Challenge 2025: When is it, where is it, prize money. What to know
Good luck finding pythons, the invasive species that has been slithering around the Everglades for years and destroying the ecosystem. But just because pythons are difficult to find doesn't stop hunters from looking for them with hopes of putting a small dent in the population. The annual Florida Python Challenge is a big part of the effort to combat these unwelcome snakes. On May 15, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District announced the dates for the 2025 Challenge. Here are six things to know about the Florida Python Challenge: It begins at 12:01 a.m. on July 11, 2025 and it ends at 5 p.m. on July 20, 2025. This is earlier than in the past when the Challenge has been held in August. Registration is now open. Participants will remove pythons from seven commission-managed lands in South Florida. New this year: Everglades National Park has been added as an eighth competition location. For the 2024 Challenge there was $25,000 in prizes up for grabs. According to the FWC, the top prize of $10,000 goes to the person who catches the most pythons. Ronald Kiger won the grand prize in 2024. Kiger removed a total of 20 pythons. The Florida Python Challenge is a 10-day competition created by FWC to encourage participants to remove pythons large, nonvenomous constrictor snakes that are an invasive species in Florida. Burmese pythons were introduced to Florida via the pet trade and are now well established in the Everglades, where the snake represents a threat to the ecosystem. The competition also serves as a conservation effort to raise awareness about the python's impacts on local ecology and to encourage the public to continuously remove the snake from the wild. Along with the FWC the Challenge is supported by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and Gov. Ron DeSantis. A total of 195 pythons were removed, which was 14 fewer than 2023. There were also fewer participants last year compared to 2023. There were 857 competitors, including two from Canada, who participated in the 2024 Challenge. More than 1,000 participated in 2023. Python carcasses must be kept chilled or frozen, then turned into the nearest Florida Python Challenge check station within 24 hours of capture. Participants must carry a printed or digital copy of their Florida Python Challenge registration notification email while hunting. Participants must complete required online training and receive a unique completion code. Only Burmese pythons removed from competition locations are valid entries. The use of firearms is prohibited during the competition. The use of dogs or other animals to search, capture, or kill is prohibited. Air guns and captive bolts are allowed. 'The Python Challenge is a great way to get people directly involved in the protection and stewardship of the Everglades,' said South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Member 'Alligator Ron' Bergeron. 'We continue to advance Everglades restoration efforts thanks to the support of Governor Ron DeSantis, and we'll keep doing everything we can to protect this important ecosystem. Pythons disrupt the natural food chain and prey on native wildlife that depend on the Everglades. Removing pythons from this ecosystem is critical to the survival of the species that call this area home. The South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission continue to have great success managing these invasive pythons. Long live the Everglades!' 'We're excited to join our partners in the State of Florida for this year's Florida Python Challenge,' saidPedro Ramos, superintendent of Everglades National Park, who oversees the South Florida National Parks and Preserve. 'For years, we've worked alongside the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the South Florida Water Management District, and others to manage pythons and other invasive species while educating the public about their impact on the Everglades. This event marks another milestone in that collaboration as we include Everglades National Park in the Challenge.' This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: FWC 2025 Florida Python snake hunt dates announced, prize money
Cision Canada
13-05-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Organizations can help make local history and win $100,000 for their community Français
ParticipACTION launches its country-wide Community Challenge in search of Canada's Most Active Community. TORONTO, May 13, 2025 /CNW/ - On June 1, ParticipACTION will kick off its search for Canada's Most Active Community with the ParticipACTION Community Challenge presented by Novo Nordisk. ParticipACTION encourages everyone in Canada to get physically active throughout June to help their community win the title and $100,000 grand prize to support local sport and physical activity initiatives. The Community Challenge is open to all communities, organizations and individuals. Community organizations, including sport clubs, community centres, local businesses and schools, as well as local governments, can now sign up for the Challenge and register the physical activity and sport programs and events they plan to run in June to help their community members get more active where they live, learn, work and play. All community programs and events registered on the Challenge webpage and hosted in June will count toward a community's total score. "There is no world record to break, but local history can be made throughout the Challenge," says Elio Antunes, President and CEO of ParticipACTION. "Through this community-focused initiative and the leadership of local organizations across the country, we're hoping to reduce barriers and create more fun and inclusive opportunities for people in Canada to get active. When it comes to making room to move during the Challenge, there are no set parameters – every cartwheel competition, soccer practice and neighbourhood walk or wheel counts!" Everyone in Canada should have access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities that help them grow and thrive – physically, emotionally and socially. ParticipACTION, with support from public and private funders, provided funding to more than 900 community organizations to promote and deliver physical activity and sport opportunities to equity-denied groups throughout the 2025 Challenge. This funding helps level the playing field and reduces barriers to physical activity, contributing to the creation of stronger, more inclusive and healthier communities. "At Novo Nordisk, we believe that a healthier Canada will take more than medication. As obesity and diabetes rates continue to rise and place greater burden on the economy, we must equally prioritize prevention. That's why we invest in prevention initiatives that make a real difference and why we're proud to partner on this year's ParticipACTION Community Challenge presented by Novo Nordisk," says Vince Lamanna, President, Novo Nordisk Canada. "Physical activity is essential for our physical and mental health, helping to prevent serious chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Through partnerships like this, we are committed to ensuring that wellness reaches more families and communities across Canada. Together, we can inspire action, cultivate healthier lifestyles and create lasting change for a healthier tomorrow." Past national winners of the ParticipACTION Community Challenge include Enderby, B.C. (2019), North Grenville, Ontario (2021), Red Deer, Alberta (2022), Salisbury, New Brunswick (2023) and Hay River, Northwest Territories (2024). In Hay River, the $100,000 prize is supporting upgrades to local sport and recreation programming and the revitalization of Inukshuk Park, helping to transform it into an active gathering place for community events, outdoor fitness and everyday movement. It's a lasting reminder that when a community makes room to move, it creates space for everyone to thrive. To learn more about how to participate in the Community Challenge and register your organization, visit ParticipACTION's website. About ParticipACTION ParticipACTION is a national non-profit charitable organization that envisions a Canada where physical activity is a vital part of everyday life for everyone. As Canada's leading physical activity organization, ParticipACTION works with its partners, which include organizations in the sport, physical activity and recreation sectors, alongside government and corporate sponsors, to help people move more where they live, learn, work and play. ParticipACTION is generously supported by the Government of Canada. Learn how ParticipACTION has been moving Canadians for over 50 years at The ParticipACTION Community Challenge presented by Novo Nordisk is a national physical activity and sport initiative that encourages everyone in Canada to get active throughout June in search of Canada's Most Active Community. The Community Challenge is open to all communities and individuals, ultimately recognizing Canada's Most Active Community and awarding it $100,000 to support local physical activity and sport initiatives. The ParticipACTION Community Challenge presented by Novo Nordisk is proudly funded by the Government of Canada and Novo Nordisk.
Time Out
25-04-2025
- Time Out
Go wild for the City Nature Challenge
Grab your phone, lace up your walking shoes, and get ready to explore Cape Town's rich natural heritage: the City Nature Challenge 2025 kicks off today (Friday, April 25), and for one long weekend, entry to all 16 City-run nature reserves is completely free. That's a day out at Rondevlei, Helderberg, or Rietvlei for nothing! Mahala! Now in its 10th year, the global City Nature Challenge is a friendly competition among over 2000 cities worldwide, each vying to document as much local biodiversity as possible using the free iNaturalist app. The theme for the 2025 Challenge is 'Bring the Globe Together for Biodiversity' and invites everyone – from seasoned twitchers to first-time nature lovers – to snap, upload, and contribute to a global snapshot of urban wildlife. "This challenge is about documenting the wildlife in our city," said Alderman Eddie Andrews, Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment. "Capetonians are spoiled for choice with an array of nature reserves and conservation areas. Access to the City's nature reserves will be free from 25 April until 28 April 2025 for those taking part in the challenge." Getting involved is as easy as taking a photo of any wild plant or animal and uploading it to the iNaturalist app. You'll need a smartphone (or a camera connected to the internet), GPS switched on, and an eye for nature's finest. The iNaturalist app is available for download on Android or iOS, and updates will roll out leading up to the challenge weekend. Schools, universities, and social groups are also encouraged to use the event as an outdoor learning opportunity in nearby parks, backyards, or local green spaces. Last year, Cape Town recorded over 42,000 wildlife sightings as part of the global tally of 2.4 million across 690 cities in 51 countries.
