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The state of Florida kicked off the registration process this Thursday for the Florida Python Challenge 2025, an annual competition aimed at reducing the population of Burmese pythons, an invasive species that poses a serious threat to the ecosystem of the Everglades.
The event will take place from July 11 to 20 and offers up to $25,000 in prizes, including a grand prize of $10,000 for the person who captures the most snakes and $1,000 for the individual who catches the longest python.
To join the challenge, interested individuals must register online and complete a mandatory virtual course on safe and ethical python hunting.
The contest is open to both experienced hunters and beginners, although with differentiated rules: only professionals can transport live snakes, while novices must humanely euthanize them at the capture site.
The presence of Burmese pythons—a species native to Southeast Asia—poses a serious threat to native wildlife.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), these snakes feed on local mammals, birds, and reptiles, including threatened and endangered species.
From the year 2000 until April 2025, more than 23,500 pythons have been removed through initiatives like this competition, but it is estimated that tens of thousands still remain in the wild, particularly in the Everglades National Park and its surroundings.
Burmese pythons are currently established in a broad region that extends from Key Largo to the south of Lake Okeechobee, and from the west of Broward County to Collier. Sightings have also been reported in Naples and near Lake Okeechobee itself.
In July of last year, a 22-year-old captured in the Big Cypress National Preserve the largest python recorded to date in Florida: a female measuring 19 feet long and weighing 125 pounds.
The competition has its rules, as the use of firearms, dogs, or other animals as hunting aids is prohibited.
Likewise, killing a native species or destroying the nests of other species results in immediate disqualification; it is also stipulated that pythons must be removed in an ethical and legal manner, respecting conservation regulations.
The Florida Python Challenge is not just a competition, but also an educational and ecological campaign aimed at protecting one of the country’s most important ecosystems.
For more information and registration: Official Python Challenge Site
Frequently Asked Questions about the Florida Python Challenge 2025
What is the Florida Python Challenge 2025?
The Florida Python Challenge 2025 is an annual competition aimed at reducing the population of Burmese pythons in the Florida Everglades, offering prizes for those who capture the most snakes or the longest ones.
What are the prizes for the winners of the Florida Python Challenge 2025?
The event offers up to $25,000 in prizes, including a grand prize of $10,000 for the person who captures the most pythons and $1,000 for the individual who catches the longest python.
How can interested parties register to participate in the Florida Python Challenge 2025?
Those interested must register online and complete a mandatory virtual course on safe and ethical python hunting in order to participate in the competition.
Why is it important to control the population of Burmese pythons in the Everglades?
Burmese pythons are an invasive species that pose a significant threat to native wildlife by preying on mammals, birds, and reptiles, including endangered species, causing an imbalance in Florida's ecosystem.
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