There Are Fewer Snakes in the Grass: Florida Python Challenge

More than 850 participants from 33 states and Canada joined the effort to remove invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades ecosystem during the 2024 Florida Python Challenge. Together they eliminated 195 destructive pythons from South Florida public lands.

The invasive pythons—their proliferation a result of intentional and accidental release—create imbalances in native ecosystems by preying on wading birds, mammals and other reptiles. In the Everglades in particular, this aggressive predation robs panthers, raptors, bobcats, and other native predators of their primary food sources while sometimes preying on the predators as well.

The Python Challenge took place in August encouraging both professional and novice participants to find and remove pythons from state-owned lands. The 10-day competition and conservation effort is a partnership between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida (FWF) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD).

Ronald Kiger of Marion County was the ultimate grand prize winner earning the top prize of $10,000 for removing 20 pythons during the challenge. His longest python taped out at 9 feet, 11 inches.

Since pythons are most active at dawn and dusk, they’re typically hunted at night. In wintertime the cold-blooded snakes can’t resist basking in the sun along roads or levees.

Hunters target wetlands, marshes and areas of thick vegetation that pythons prefer. Rules require the invasive snakes to be “humanely killed” mainly by using a two-step process described at length in the rules section of the event. The transportation of live pythons is prohibited.

In addition to the competition, the annual Florida Python Challenge is also a platform to share information about the damage pythons cause, encourage the public to continually remove these invasive snakes throughout the year, and highlight the importance of responsible exotic pet ownership so non-native species such as Burmese pythons are not released into the wild.

Click here to learn more about the district’s Python Elimination Program.

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• This article was featured in the February 2025 issue of Florida Sportsman magazine. Click to subscribe

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