For the first time in the history of Florida’s annual Python Challenge event, a woman has won the $10,000 grand prize for catching the most snakes.

According to palmbeachpoast.com, 934 people participated in this year’s 10-day hunt in South Florida where they caught 294 pythons, which is the most total snakes since the competition began in 2013. Taylor Stanberry, 29, who stands at 4 feet, 11 inches tall, won the grand prize for catching 60 of the invasive pythons.

"Every invasive python removed is a win," said Sarah Funk, non-native fish and wildlife program coordinator with the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission.

One participant said that the July hunt dates coincided with new python hatchlings swarming the southern wetlands, which explains the large numbers of snakes caught by contest participants.

Donna Kalil, a contract hunter for the South Florida Water Management District, caught 56 snakes during this year’s Python Challenge, which was held between July 11 and July 20. She caught 19 snakes during the 2024 contest, which was held Aug. 9 through Aug. 18. The grand prize winner last year nabbed 20 snakes.

"It's all because of the timing," said Kalil, who won $2,500 this year for catching the most snakes in the professional category of the challenge. "There were a lot of little baby snakes just getting out of the nest. Some had already had a meal. They come out and are ready to eat."

Stanberry, a contract hunter with FWC, says she’s been hunting pythons for 10 years, but this was the first year she entered the challenge. "There are so many amazing female python hunters out there, so I had some tough competition," she said.

Stanberry agreed with Kalil's observation that most of her catches were babies, but she did catch one snake that was between 9.5 and 10 feet long.

During the competition, hunters searched for pythons in areas that stretch from western Palm Beach County to the Tamiami Trail in the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area. Additional areas included Holey Land, Rotenberger and Southern Glades.

For the first time this year, Everglades National Park also allowed people to hunt in the park during the challenge.

Additional 2025 Python Challenge winners in the professional category include Hannah Gray, who won $1,500 for most pythons runner-up with 22 snakes, and Kennith Chamberland for longest python at 9 feet, 8 inches.

In the novice category, Krista Hoekstra won $2,500 for the most pythons with 14. Runner-up Kymberly Clark won $1,500 with seven pythons. Michael Marousky won $1,000 for the longest python in the novice category, for his snake, which measured 15 feet, 11 inches.

Active duty and military veteran winners include John Southworth, who won $2,500 for the most pythons at five. Most pythons runner-up in the military category was Matthew Jamison with three snakes. Jonathan Miller won $1,000 for the longest python in the military category with a snake that measured 11 feet, 2 inches.

Florida hosts the annual event in an effort to rid the state of the invasive species, which has resulted in a severe decline of some of the state’s native wildlife populations. It’s estimated that the state is home to tens of thousands of Burmese pythons.