Win $10,000 for hunting giant Burmese pythons: Inside Florida's unusual annual snake hunt

A giant snake once kept as an exotic pet can become a serious ecological problem when it enters the wrong environment. In the wetlands of southern Florida, Burmese pythons have established themselves far from their native range in Southeast Asia, creating a long-running challenge for wildlife officials.

The annual Florida Python Challenge is returning in 2026, bringing together professional snake hunters, first-time participants, and members of the military in an unusual conservation effort. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida allows the removal of Burmese pythons because they are considered an invasive species that threatens the state’s native wildlife. People who spot these snakes can report them to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Exotic Species Hotline.

Captured pythons must be humanely killed at the location where they are found, and transporting live pythons is not permitted.

On private lands, Burmese pythons can be removed at any time with the landowner’s permission, without requiring a permit or limiting the number that can be removed. Similar rules apply on certain state-managed lands, where approved removal is allowed under specific regulations. However, Florida does not offer general payments for every python removed, except for participants in authorised programmes and winners of the Florida Python Challenge.

Inside Florida’s annual hunt to control its growing python population

The 2026 Florida Python Challenge will take place from July 10 to July 19, with participants competing to capture Burmese pythons across approved areas of southern Florida. The person who removes the most snakes will receive the Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000. Separate awards are available for different groups, including novice hunters, professional participants, and members of the US Armed Forces. The longest python captured during the competition will also receive recognition.The event is organised by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and supported by other state conservation authorities as part of efforts to reduce the number of invasive pythons in the Everglades.According to the official Florida Python Challenge website, people hoping to take part must register individually, pay a $25 fee and complete an online training course before entering the competition.

The training covers identification, safety procedures and approved methods for handling and removing the snakes.

How Burmese pythons became a Florida problem

Burmese pythons are naturally found thousands of miles away in Southeast Asia, where they live in tropical forests, wetlands and grasslands. Their presence in Florida is linked to the exotic pet trade, with some snakes believed to have been released after becoming too large for owners to manage.The first sightings of Burmese pythons in the region appeared decades ago, but the population expanded significantly later.

A combination of Florida’s warm climate, abundant prey and suitable wetland habitat allowed the reptiles to survive and reproduce.The Everglades provided conditions close to their natural environment. Adult Burmese pythons can grow beyond five metres in length, and females are capable of producing dozens of eggs in a single breeding season. With few natural predators in Florida, the snakes became established as powerful hunters within an ecosystem that had not evolved alongside them.

Burmese pythons and their growing impact on Florida’s wildlife

Wildlife officials have linked the spread of Burmese pythons to major changes among some native animal populations in areas where the snakes are common.The snakes feed on a wide variety of animals, including mammals, birds and reptiles. Their ability to consume relatively large prey has raised concerns about their effect on species already facing pressure from habitat changes and other environmental challenges.

Research carried out in parts of the Everglades found sharp declines in sightings of certain mammals after Burmese pythons became established. Species such as raccoons, opossums and bobcats were among those affected in areas with high python numbers.The snakes have also been recorded preying on larger animals, including American alligators and adult white-tailed deer. “The removal of Burmese pythons from this ecosystem is critical to the survival of native species,” said South Florida Water Management District Governing Board member Ron Bergeron, who has supported the conservation effort.

9 years of Florida’s ongoing fight against invasive pythons

The Florida Python Challenge is now in its 9th year. Since the competition began, participants have removed more than 1,400 Burmese pythons from the Everglades. In the 2025 event, hunters removed 294 snakes, with Taylor Stanberry winning the top prize after capturing 60 Burmese pythons.The competition does not take place across the entire region. Participants are restricted to designated locations, including areas such as Everglades National Park and several wildlife management areas.

These restrictions are designed to protect sensitive habitats while allowing trained participants to search areas where python removal is permitted.

Safety measures behind the annual invasive snake competition

For many participants, the challenge is not simply about winning prize money. It is a chance to take part in a conservation programme aimed at reducing the impact of a species that has become deeply established in one of America’s most unusual ecosystems.As the 2026 competition begins, hundreds of hunters will once again enter the Everglades in search of one of Florida’s most difficult wildlife problems: a snake that was never meant to be there.