A Florida pizzeria is giving away free pizzas to customers who bring in dead Burmese pythons.
The promotion targets the removal of invasive snakes that threaten local ecosystems. By offering a food reward, the business owner aims to incentivize the humane killing of the species, which Florida law permits year-round [3].
Dusty Crum, the owner of the restaurant, said he is the first place in the world to accept python as currency [1]. The initiative aligns with broader regional efforts to manage the snake population. The Florida Python Challenge is currently active, with hunters competing for prizes in an annual event focused on the extermination of the snakes [3].
According to reports, Crum's establishment is the only pizza place in the world that accepts invasive Burmese pythons as payment [2]. The promotion was widely reported on July 16 [1].
Burmese pythons are considered a significant environmental threat in the U.S. state due to their impact on native wildlife. Because the snakes are invasive, the state encourages their removal to protect biodiversity, a goal Crum is supporting through his business model.
Crum said the offer is open to anyone who can provide a dead specimen. The restaurant's approach turns a public health and environmental issue into a community-driven incentive program.
“"I'm the first place in the world to accept python as currency."”
This promotion leverages private business incentives to supplement government-led conservation efforts. By treating an invasive species as a commodity, the restaurant creates a micro-economy that rewards the removal of ecological threats, potentially increasing the volume of snakes removed from the wild during the annual Python Challenge.
