Catch a Python, Win $10,000: Florida’s Wildest Competition Returns

🐍 Florida Python Challenge Is Back: Why the State Wants More Snake Hunters

The snakes are back… and this time, Florida is actually asking people to go looking for them.

The 2026 Florida Python Challenge officially begins July 10 and runs through July 19, inviting anyone willing to brave the Everglades to help remove one of the state’s most destructive invasive species—the Burmese python. Participants compete for a share of $25,000 in prize money, including a $10,000 grand prize for the hunter who removes the most pythons.

🌿 Why Are Burmese Pythons Such a Big Problem?

Originally native to Southeast Asia, Burmese pythons arrived in South Florida through the exotic pet trade. Many escaped or were released into the wild, with Hurricane Andrew in 1992 believed to have contributed to the spread when breeding facilities were damaged.

Today, they’re one of the Everglades’ most successful predators.

A single female can lay 50 to more than 100 eggs at a time, allowing populations to grow rapidly. With few natural predators, these giant snakes feed on a wide variety of native wildlife, including:

• 🦝 Raccoons

• 🐇 Rabbits

• 🦌 Deer

• 🐦 Birds

• 🐊 Young alligators

• 🦎 Native reptiles

Wildlife experts say pythons have contributed to dramatic declines in several mammal populations across parts of the Everglades ecosystem.

💰 What’s at Stake?

The competition isn’t just about bragging rights.

Hunters can compete for:

• 🏆 $10,000 Grand Prize – Most pythons removed

• 💵 Additional prizes for Novice, Professional and Military divisions

• 📏 Awards for the longest python captured

Participants must:

• ✅ Register online

• 📝 Complete a required training course and quiz

• 💲 Pay a $25 registration fee

• ⚠️ Follow strict humane capture and euthanasia rules

Firearms are not permitted, and novice hunters cannot transport live pythons.

📈 The Challenge Is Growing

Interest continues to rise every year.

During the 2025 Florida Python Challenge, a record 934 participants from 30 states and Canada removed 294 invasive pythons. The overall winner captured an astonishing 60 snakes during the 10-day competition.

Beyond the annual contest, Florida also operates year-round python removal programs that hire trained contractors to remove snakes across South Florida, including Collier County.

🐍 Why It Matters

No one expects the Python Challenge to eliminate every invasive snake in Florida.

Instead, wildlife officials say the event serves two important goals:

• 🌎 Remove as many breeding pythons as possible.

• 📢 Raise public awareness about invasive species threatening Florida’s unique ecosystems.

Every large female removed potentially prevents dozens of hatchlings from entering the Everglades.

For Florida’s native wildlife, that’s a victory worth celebrating.

Whether you’re an experienced snake hunter or simply fascinated by one of the state’s most unusual conservation efforts, the Florida Python Challenge remains one of the most unique wildlife competitions in America.

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