Mark your calendars — the annual Florida Python Challenge™ is back for 2026! Kicking off on Friday, July 10 at 12:01 a.m., and running until Sunday, July 19 at 5 p.m., registered participants in this year’s Challenge will get the chance to win a share of $25,000 in prizes while removing invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades and raising awareness about nonnative species.
The 2026 Florida Python Challenge, hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District, features an Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000 for the registered participant who removes the most pythons. A highlight of this year’s event is the return of Everglades National Park as a partner and one of eight official Florida Python Challenge competition locations.
Registration opened today for this year’s 10-day event and will remain open until the last day of the competition on July 19. Visit FLPythonChallenge.org to register and take the required online training, as well as get access to educational information on Burmese pythons and the unique Everglades ecosystem, optional training opportunities, and resources for planning your trip to south Florida for the event.
Prizes will also be awarded in the professional, novice and military categories, courtesy of our sponsors and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. We thank our Platinum Level Sponsor, Inversa, for donating $10,000 to support conservation efforts in Florida through the Florida Python Challenge. We also thank our Gold Level Sponsors – Bergeron Everglades Foundation, Mrs. Daphne & Mr. C. Martin Wood III, Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands and The Garcia Companies for their donations of $5,000 each in support of conservation efforts through this event. Additional sponsors at the Silver Level ($2,000+) and Friends of Wildlife Level ($500+) further provide support through the Challenge; additional details can be found at FLPythonChallenge.org/Sponsors-Partners.
“We are excited to announce the dates for this year’s Florida Python Challenge, which will be our ninth such event to date,” said FWC Executive Director Roger Young. “We look forward to the Challenge each year as a way to raise awareness about nonnative fish and wildlife, while also encouraging the public to get involved in Everglades conservation by removing invasive Burmese pythons. This year’s event is made possible thanks to the continued support of Governor Ron DeSantis and our partners at the South Florida Water Management District, Everglades National Park, and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Foundation, as well as our generous sponsors.”
“We continue to advance Everglades restoration efforts thanks to the support of Governor Ron DeSantis, and we’ll keep doing everything we can to protect this important ecosystem,” said South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Member “Alligator Ron” Bergeron. “Removing Burmese pythons from this ecosystem is critical to the survival of the native species that call this area home. We appreciate our partners at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Everglades National Park as we continue to work together to raise awareness about invasive species. This is a great way for the public to get involved in the protection of the Everglades and I want to thank everyone who is participating in the 2026 Florida Python Challenge. Long live the Everglades!”
“Protecting the Everglades requires strong collaboration across agencies, organizations, and the public,” said Superintendent Pedro Ramos of Everglades National Park. “We are pleased once again to participate in the Florida Python Challenge, which highlights how shared stewardship can contribute to the long-term protection of native species and park resources.”
Last year, participants in the 2025 Florida Python Challenge™ removed a competition record of 294 invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades, resulting in a total of 1,406 of the nonnative constrictors being removed cumulatively during all Florida Python Challenge™ competitions to date. In 2025, 934 people from 30 states and Canada registered for the 10-day competition.
In addition to python removal opportunities on 32 Commission-managed lands which are available year-round, Burmese pythons may be humanely killed on private lands at any time with landowner permission and no permit or hunting license required. The FWC encourages people to remove and humanely kill invasive pythons from private lands whenever possible.
About Invasive Burmese Pythons
Burmese pythons are not native to Florida and negatively impact native wildlife. This invasive species is found primarily in and around the Everglades ecosystem in south Florida where they prey on birds, mammals and other reptiles. A female Burmese python may lay 50 to over 100 eggs at a time. Since 2000, more than 27,000 Burmese pythons have been reported to the FWC as removed from Florida’s environment. For more information on Burmese pythons, visit MyFWC.com/Python.
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