MIAMI (AP) - Python, wild boar and lion fish were on the menu this weekend in Miami.

Three local chefs participated Saturday night in a cook-off competition using the invasive species as key ingredients. The goal was to raise awareness about how the animals impact South Florida's ecology - and perhaps even generate an appetite for them.

Haven Gastro-Lounge executive chef Todd Erickson cooked braised python. He told the Miami Herald the event shows how these animals can be a "viable food source."

The other participating chefs were Bradley Herron of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink and Timon Balloo of Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill.

Funds were also raised for Fertile Earth Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting environmental awareness.

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