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TheFlorida Python Challenge is an annual, ten-day competition where professional and novice participants join in the effort to removeinvasive Burmese pythons in Florida.[1] Past the goal of removing pythons, the competition also serves as aconservation effort to raise awareness aboutinvasive species’ impacts to the local ecology and to encourage the public to continuously removeBurmese pythons from the wild. It is supported by theFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida, theSouth Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), andGovernor Ron DeSantis.[2]
Most recently, in 2024, the Florida Python Challenge resulted in the total removal of 195 pythons, and the winner removed 20 pythons.[3]
The competition rules generally align with the area regulations of the seven competition locations (Big CypressWildlife Management Area, Everglades and St. Francis Taylor WMA, Frog Pond Public Small Game Hunting Area, Holey Land WMA, Rocky Glades Public Small Game Hunting Area, Rotenberger WMA, and Southern Glades WMA),[1] but there are additional rules specific to the competition, covering registration, removal methods, and animal handling.
Participants may register as a professional or a novice. Professionals are those that are paid python removal contractors for theFWC orSFWMD, while novices are all other participants, i.e. members of the public.[1] To register, there is a fee of $25, and participants must take a required online training. Participants must not have prior convictions for fish or wildlife violations oranimal cruelty.
Certain methods, such as the use offirearms,traps,bait, explosives, and chemicals, are prohibited. Participants are disqualified if they kill anative Florida snake, submit a python that was a pet, are found to have inhumanely killed a python, etc.[1] Additionally, participants are not allowed to harm “scout snakes,” which are Burmese pythons that are tracked for research purposes and marked with orange tags.[1]
As Burmese pythons are protected by anti-cruelty law, participants are required to abide by theAmerican Veterinary Medical Association’s recommendations for methods of humanely killingreptiles. The general, two-step method, regardless of what tools are used, is:
The Florida Python Challenge first ran in 2013 as a month-long competition, then again in 2016. It was brought back in 2020 as a ten-day competition initially dubbed the “Python Bowl”[4]—since then, the competition duration has remained as ten days, and it has been held annually.
In 2023, $10,000 was awarded to the Ultimate Grand Prize winner for most pythons removed (Paul Hobbs with 20 pythons), and $7,500 was awarded to the Ultimate Grand Prize Runner-Up (Ronald Kiger with 14 pythons).[5] In addition, prizes of $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 were respectively awarded to the Most Pythons, Most Pythons Runner-Up, and Longest Python winners for three categories: Military Prizes, Professional Prizes, and Novice Prizes.
| Year | Number of Participants | Competition Duration | Total Pythons Removed | Grand Prize (Most Pythons Removed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 857 | 10 days | 195 | Ronald Kiger, 20 pythons[3] |
| 2023 | 1050 | 10 days | 209 | Paul Hobbs, 20 pythons[5] |
| 2022 | Nearly 1000 | 10 days | 231 | Matthew Concepcion, 28 pythons[6] |
| 2021 | Over 600 | 10 days | 223 | Charles Danton, 41 pythons[7] |
| 2020 | Over 750 | 10 days | 80 | Mike Kimmel, 8 pythons[4] |
| 2019 | Did not run | |||
| 2018 | Did not run | |||
| 2017 | Did not run | |||
| 2016 | Over 1000 | 1 month | 106 | Bill Booth’s team, 33 pythons[8] |
| 2015 | Did not run | |||
| 2014 | Did not run | |||
| 2013 | Nearly 1600 | 1 month | 68 | Brian Barrows, 6 pythons (General Competition) and Ruben Ramirez, 18 pythons (Python Permit Holders Competition)[9] |
As it is difficult to detect pythons in the wild, scientists are unsure of the exact number of Burmese pythons in Florida, with estimates exceeding the tens of thousands.[10] In 2023, aUSGS study confirmed that the total eradication of Burmese pythons in Florida is likely impossible.[11] Therefore, the results of the Florida Python Challenge are not very significant in the context of total estimates; still, the event has contributed to raising awareness, and even removing small numbers of invasive species helps protect native species.[12]
Generally, the Florida Python Challenge is well-supported by local agencies, officials, and the media. However, there are few who claim that the challenge is unethical and ineffective.[13]