It's time to hunt.
The 2026 Florida Python Challenge, an opportunity for professionals and novices to catch the invasive Burmese python in the Everglades, is set to begin from July 10 to July 19.
"The Florida Python Challenge™" is an effort to increase awareness about invasive species and the threats they pose to Florida’s ecosystems. The goal of the competition is to involve more people in Everglades conservation through invasive species removal," the Florida Python Challenge's website informs.
Hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District, the 10-day invite includes a $10,000 cash prize for removing the most Burmese pythons from Florida's ecosystem. The Burmese python is invasive to Florida, meaning it does not belong in the state's natural environment, and is an apex predator to other animals in its habitat.
Other cash prizes include the following.
Professional Category
Most pythons: $2,500
Runner-up: $1,500
Longest python: $1,000
Novice Category
Most pythons: $2,500
Runner-up: $1,500
Longest python: $1,000
Military Category
Most pythons: $2,500
Runner-up: $1,500
Longest python: $1,000
Participating areas include the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, Everglades National Park, Rocky Glades Public Small Hunting Area, and more.
The Burmese python first appeared in South Florida in 1979 and grew in numbers after being accidentally or intentionally released through the pet trade into the 1980s. More than 100,000 pythons were imported to the United States, largely to Florida, between 1996 and 2006 alone.
Overall, as much as 300,000 Burmese pythons currently live in South Florida. An uninvited guest, the python is naturally found in India, China, and Indonesia before finding a home in Florida's similar warm weather climate.
Burmese pythons are also not your typical snake, or one you might find in your backyard garden. Adult pythons can grow between six and nine feet long, with some reaching nearly 20 feet and weighing up to 200 pounds.
The longest Burmese python, a 19-footer, was caught in Florida in 2023. The heaviest python, a 215-pound nearly 18-footer, was caught in Florida in 2022.
According to the South Florida Water Management District, nearly 300 Burmese pythons were removed during the challenge last year. Moreover, over 1,400 pythons have been removed across all competitions to date.
You can register for the challenge by clicking here.
