The first day of 2026 Florida Python Challenge kicked off at midnight Friday, and now avid and amateur hunters alike can compete for cash prizes as they work to rid the Everglades of the ravenous, invasive Burmese python.
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The ultimate grand prize is $10,000, but another $15,000 are available across different categories.
This year’s event, hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District, features Everglades National Park as a partner and one of eight official competition locations.
Here’s what to know.
When is the Florida Python Challenge?
The Florida Python Challenge is a 10-day event. This year, it starts on 12:01 a.m. on July 10 and ends at 5 p.m. on July 19.
How can I register for the Florida Python Challenge?
You can sign up here, on the challenge’s official website, up until the last day of the competition—but only after you’ve read and understood all the rules, completed the online training and passed the quiz with a score of at least 85%.
Registration costs $25.
What are the rules for the Florida Python Challenge?
There are rules that guide the removal of Burmese pythons. For instance, the use of firearms is prohibited, along with the use of dogs or other animals to aid in the hunt.
Participants will be disqualified if they kill a native snake or damage, destroy or remove eggs of a native species.
Also, only professional hunters can transport live pythons. Novices must humanely kill the python immediately at the site of capture.
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To see all the rules and grounds for disqualification, go here.
Why does the state hold a Florida Python Challenge?
Burmese pythons are one of the state’s most notorious invasive species, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) has implemented several efforts to remove the large nonvenomous constrictors from our ecosystem — primarily by humanely killing them.
To incentivize their removal, Florida hosts annual python challenges.
Burmese pythons are what scientists call “generalist predators,” meaning that they feed on a wide variety of species.
For instance, pythons have been known to feast on the federally threatened wood stork and the federally endangered Key Largo wood rats. They have even been known to eat alligators, which are also federally protected by the Endangered Species Act.
Burmese pythons can also pose a threat to human safety and may prey upon pets such as cats and dogs.
How many Burmese pythons have been removed from Florida?
More than 23,500 pythons have been removed from natural areas in the state of Florida between 2000 and April 2025, according to the FWC.
The amount of pythons captured and removed increased drastically once the paid program was launched in 2017.
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