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Registration is open for the 2026 Florida Python Challenge, which will be held July 10-19. (Image by Heiko Kiera)

Those interested in participating in the 2026 Florida Python Challenge can register now. The annual hunting contest will take place from July 10-19, giving participants 10 days to help remove invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades while competing for $25,000 in prizes. Organized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District, the event offers a $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize to the person who removes the most pythons. Organizers also announced that Everglades National Park will once again serve as one of the eight official competition sites for the challenge.

According to myfwc.com, registration will remain available throughout the competition. Participants must complete an online training course through FLPythonChallenge.org before competing. The site also provides educational materials about Burmese pythons, the Everglades ecosystem, optional training opportunities, and travel-planning resources for visitors coming to south Florida. Additional prizes will be awarded in professional, novice, and military divisions, with funding support from sponsors and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida.

FWC Executive Director Roger Young described the event as both a conservation effort and a public awareness campaign. He said, “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.” Young also credited continued support from Governor Ron DeSantis, along with partnerships involving Everglades National Park and other conservation organizations, for helping make the annual event possible.

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South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Member Ron Bergeron, also known as “Alligator Ron,” said, “Removing Burmese pythons from this ecosystem is critical to the survival of the native species that call this area home.” Bergeron added that the challenge gives the public a direct opportunity to support Everglades protection and concluded his remarks with, “Long live the Everglades!” Meanwhile, Pedro Ramos stressed the importance of teamwork in conservation, saying, “Protecting the Everglades requires strong collaboration across agencies, organizations, and the public.”

The challenge has grown significantly in recent years. During the 2025 competition, participants removed a record 294 Burmese pythons, bringing the cumulative total removed during all Florida Python Challenge events to 1,406 snakes. Last year’s event drew 934 participants from 30 states and Canada, demonstrating expanding public interest in invasive species management. Beyond the challenge itself, the FWC allows pythons to be humanely killed year-round on private lands with the owner’s permission and without requiring a hunting license or permit.

Burmese pythons are a serious invasive species in Florida, particularly in and around the Everglades. These snakes prey on native birds, mammals, and reptiles, disrupting the ecosystem and threatening local wildlife populations. Female pythons can lay between 50 and 100 eggs at a time, contributing to their rapid spread. Since 2000, more than 27,000 Burmese pythons have been removed from Florida’s environment. Officials hope the 2026 Florida Python Challenge will continue raising awareness while helping reduce the population of these destructive, nonnative snakes.