The Burmese python has become the defining ecological problem of the Florida Everglades, a giant constrictor from Southeast Asia that has established a self-sustaining wild population across the southern tip of the state.

More than 900 contestants vying for the $10,000 grand prize scoured South Florida for 10 days during the 2026 Florida Python Challenge.

Each year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission turns python removal into a public competition. The Python Challenge offers prize money, draws public attention, and has made post-capture photos a familiar part of the event.

Burmese pythons are scarcely recorded in Lee County, but experts say the data is a faulty reflection of the invasive species' actual population.

Professional python hunter Carl Jackson recently caught a 202-pound python, the second heaviest ever recorded in Florida. Python bites are a common risk for hunters, and their teeth feel like needles tearing through the skin. Burmese pythons have severely ...