The 2026 Florida Python Challenge removed hundreds of invasive snakes, including a 16-foot reptile

Tom Rahill won the annual event, earning $10,000 for removing 96 Burmese pythons from South Florida

Florida Python Challenge winner slayed 96 snakes

The 2026 Florida Python Challenge ended on July 19, and organizers have officially finished tallying the number of bagged snakes. Over 10 days, 907 participants hunted down a collective total of 280 invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) across the Everglades.
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280 invasive pythons removed during 2026 Florida Python Challenge

Annual 10-day competition drew more than 900 participants from across the U.S. and abroad.

Tom Rahill Claims $10,000 Prize After removing 96 Burmese Pythons In Florida Challenge

Hunters removed 280 invasive Burmese pythons from South Florida during the 10-day 2026 Florida Python Challenge, state officials announced today. Organized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District,

Florida biologists removed 8,080 pounds of invasive pythons in 6 months, thanks to snakes' sex drive

By exploiting the snakes' mating behavior, a team in southwest Florida removed a record 8,080 pounds of invasive pythons in just six months. The effort points to a simple but effective idea: use the snakes' instincts against them to stop the next generation before the population grows further.

Florida’s invasive lizards just met their match: AI

Researchers are using new AI technology to detect and catch invasive species in South Florida — tools that they say save time and cut down on resources.