Burmese pythons

The 2026 Florida Python Challenge began with a training session for participants in west Broward County, where attendees learned to capture Burmese pythons in the Everglades. Aspiring hunters, including Sarah Gonzalez, practiced handling live pythons under expert supervision, with the competition offering cash prizes to those removing the most snakes. The event aims to reduce the invasive species' ecological impact while raising awareness.

Florida scientists from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida captured 177 pythons weighing 8,080 pounds, surpassing last year's total, while the Florida Python Challenge, an annual amateur contest, drew 934 participants who caught 294 pythons. The article highlights the contrast between the scientists' impactful but low-profile work and the media-saturated event, which offers cash prizes and documentaries.

Florida scientists set a record by removing 4 tons of invasive Burmese pythons from South Florida ecosystems during the latest breeding season.

Biologists removed a record 177 Burmese pythons near Naples, Florida, during their breeding season, with the total weight exceeding 8,000 pounds. The team used male scout snakes to locate females, and researchers found 86 species of wildlife in the pythons' stomachs, highlighting their threat to local ecosystems, including white-tailed deer.