FLORIDA – The 2026 Florida Python Challenge began Friday, giving participants 10 days to search for invasive Burmese pythons and compete for a share of $25,000 in prizes.
The event runs through 5 p.m. Sunday, July 19. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District are hosting the challenge, with Everglades National Park serving as a partner and one of eight official competition locations.
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An Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000 will go to the participant who removes the most pythons during the competition. Additional awards will be presented for the most and longest pythons removed in three categories: professional, novice and military.
Registration is open through the final day of the competition, but organizers urge participants to register early. Prospective competitors must complete required online training before participating and can access optional training and educational resources at FLPythonChallenge.org.
Prizes are provided by sponsors and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. Platinum-level sponsor Inversa contributed $10,000. Four gold-level sponsors — Bergeron Everglades Foundation; Mrs. Daphne and Mr. Martin C. Wood III; Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands; and The Garcia Companies — each donated $5,000. Silver-level donors and Friends of Wildlife supporters also contributed. A full list of sponsors and partners is at FLPythonChallenge.org/Sponsors-Partners.
Python removal opportunities are available year-round on 32 commission-managed properties. Burmese pythons may be humanely killed on private lands at any time with the landowner’s permission; no permit or hunting license is required.
About Burmese pythons Burmese pythons are nonnative to Florida and primarily found in and around the Everglades, where they prey on birds, mammals and other reptiles. A female may lay 50 to more than 100 eggs at a time. Since 2000, more than 27,000 Burmese pythons have been reported removed from Florida’s environment. More information is available at MyFWC.com/Python.