The annual Florida Python Challenge is returning this summer, giving people from across the country a chance to help remove invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades and compete for thousands of dollars in prizes.
Florida Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday that the 2026 Florida Python Challenge will run from midnight July 10 through 5 p.m. July 19. The 10-day competition encourages participants to hunt and remove invasive Burmese pythons in South Florida.
This year’s challenge includes $25,000 in total prizes, including a $10,000 grand prize for the person who removes the most pythons. Registration is now open at FLPythonChallenge.org, where participants are also required to complete an online training course before competing.
Officials say the invasive snakes have been damaging Florida’s ecosystem for years by preying on native wildlife across the Everglades.
“They eat everything,” said python hunter Donna Kalil, who says she has removed more than 1,200 pythons since 2015. “They’re opportunistic hunters. They will eat everything that they come across.”
According to FWC, Burmese pythons are not native to Florida and are found primarily in and around the Everglades ecosystem, where they prey on birds, mammals and reptiles. Female pythons can lay between 50 and more than 100 eggs at a time.
FWC says more than 27,000 Burmese pythons have been removed from Florida since 2000.
Last year’s Python Challenge drew 934 participants from 30 states and Canada, with a record 294 pythons removed during the event.
Officials say the competition is not just about prizes, but also about raising awareness and protecting the Everglades ecosystem from invasive species.
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