Gov. Charlie Crist is declaring war on pythons.

He has asked the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to rid state land south of Lake Okeechobee of Burmese Pythons. The order comes two weeks after a pet python killed a Sumter County toddler, according to the Capitol News Service.

“I had a good conversation with Sen. (Bill) Nelson and Rodney Barreto, who chairs our wildlife commission, and they are working good in concert in order to make sure we protect our fellow Floridians," Crist said. "I was distressed to see the death that occurred recently.”

The snake hunt will begin this Friday. The snakes will be caught and euthanized. Then scientists will measure and weigh the snakes to find out how much of a threat they pose to humans.