By Tina Petty
Humans are apex predators at the top of the food chain, yet we often struggle with this responsibility.
The Burmese python is also an apex predator, is invasive in Florida and has become the state's top priority for removal due to its destructive impact. There are an estimated 300,000 Burmese pythons in the Everglades. And they are devastating local wildlife, as they have no natural predators, except humans.
How did they get here? The first Burmese pythons appeared in the Everglades in the 1970s, likely due to irresponsible pet owners. Then in 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed a python breeding facility, releasing over 600 snakes into the wild, escalating the problem. It has been game on since. These ambush predators lie in wait by water, quickly constricting and consuming their prey - whole.
Growing up in the Everglades, I saw a variety of wildlife: deer, bears, raccoons, rabbits, and more. Unfortunately, over the past year, my partner Garry and I have seen fewer than ten mammals during our monthly visits. Bobcats have declined by 87%, raccoons by 97%, possums 99%, and foxes and marsh rabbits by 100% in the Everglades, largely due to pythons. Other predators, like coyotes and endangered Florida panthers, are also suffering since their food sources are dwindling.
I began participating in GORUCK events in 2014, completing over 40 events, including an HTL and star courses. And, let’s not forget the Beach Beta Emily McCarthy and I did. I'm pretty sure we almost died at least three times that weekend.
In 2020, I decided to go for the tier-one event and trained extensively for the 2021 team assessment. However, after 11 hours, I withdrew due to significant back pain, discovering a pre-existing condition. This setback made it difficult to stay motivated. I didn't want to work out. I didn't want to Ruck. I just didn't care anymore. Then Sandlot 2022 reignited my passion. I was determined it was going to be my reset.
While sitting in the audience listening to the fit panel, I heard Kelly Starrett speak. I asked him, "As you get older, how do you continue to level up? Injuries happen more frequently, and recovery takes longer. What do you do?" His answer surprised me. He said, "You don't. At some point, you give up the competition and the activities that are too hard on your body. You train for adventure." He shared that he and his wife now work out and train for whitewater rafting.
Inspired by Kelly Starrett at Sandlot, Garry and I decided to focus on adventure training. We loved camping and hunting Burmese pythons, despite at first being terrible at it. We hadn't even seen one. I don't know how since there are 300,000 of them out there. Still, we committed to making a difference and being part of the solution.
Believe it or not, finding a 12, 14, or 16-foot snake is harder than it seems. Hunting pythons during the day involves navigating difficult terrain, trekking through knee-deep water, turning over rocks and logs, facing alligators, venomous snakes, and other dangers, often without trails or cell service. Strong land navigation and first aid skills are crucial.
Night hunts mean we spend countless hours driving along roads, trails, and levees, scanning the water, culverts, and roadside with a spotlight. We drive at five to seven miles per hour, windows down, in 90-degree heat, amidst swarms of bugs.
Catching a Burmese python requires strength and functional fitness. These apex predators fight back, and their bites pose a high risk of infection. To excel, we needed a mentor and found Tom Rahil, a contract hunter and state researcher. In addition to these roles, he runs a program called The Swamp Apes, where he takes veterans on hunting trips.
Tom, like many, understands nothing can match the excitement and adrenaline of war for a combat soldier returning home. However, if veterans can find a new purpose and mission, especially one that utilizes their existing skills, they experience fewer PTSD symptoms, including flashbacks, nightmares, and panic attacks. Tom is working with the VA to have his program certified and accepted as a therapy for veterans with PTSD.
Garry is a combat veteran, and I have 20 years of secondary trauma from working in child welfare, witnessing the worst of humanity's treatment of children. Sometimes, the stress becomes overwhelming. However, after weekends spent watching sunsets from our tent, being outdoors, hunting, and making a positive impact on the environment, we sleep better, argue less, and feel better overall.
We are now at a critical point with the Burmese python in Florida. Their numbers and camouflage skills are increasing as they adapt to their environment. Those who remove pythons are the sheepdogs of the Everglades ecosystem. There’s no other ecosystem in the world like it. It’s up to us to protect the animals that make up that ecosystem. If we lose this battle, we risk losing something irreplaceable.
I understand not everyone can hunt Burmese pythons, but as apex predators, we have a responsibility to our planet, its animals, and each other. So go outside, find something or someone to protect, and be a sheepdog.
The above speech was presented by Tina Petty as a Fit Talk at the 2023 Sandlot Jax. You can view that presentation HERE.
THE BURMESE PYTHON WORKOUT
Those who remove the pythons are the sheepdogs of the Everglades, defending an ecosystem unlike any other in the world. If we lose this fight, we lose something irreplaceable.
Catching a Burmese python requires serious strength and functional fitness. While not everyone can hunt pythons, as apex predators, we all share a responsibility to protect our planet, its animals, and each other.
This workout was designed to raise awareness for those removing pythons from the Everglades—many of whom are veterans and first responders—and for the 90% of the Everglades' small mammals that are now gone.
Download the PDF, complete the workouts, and get after it.
