More than 1,000 participants joined the effort to remove invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades ecosystem during the 2023 Florida Python Challenge®, eliminating more than 200 destructive snakes from public lands in South Florida.
Did you know invasive pythons threaten our precious native ecosystem by preying upon the wildlife that lives there, including wading birds, mammals, and other reptiles? Every python that is removed and eliminated is making a difference to protect the Everglades and South Florida’s diverse and native wildlife.
Under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida continue to raise awareness about invasive species and their impacts to Florida’s ecology through the annual Florida Python Challenge®.
The 2023 Florida Python Challenge® took place in August and allowed both professional and novice participants the opportunity to join in the effort to remove pythons from public lands. The 10-day competition and conservation effort encourages people to get directly involved in Everglades conservation through invasive species removal.
Highlights from the 2023 Florida Python Challenge® include:
- 209 pythons were removed during the annual competition.
- 1,050 participants from 35 states and Belgium took part in the python challenge.
- Paul Hobbs, this year’s Ultimate Grand Prize Winner, removed 20 pythons during the challenge.
- Ronald Kiger, this year’s Ultimate Grand Prize Runner-Up, removed 14 pythons during the challenge.
In addition to the competition, the annual Florida Python Challenge® also serves as a platform to share information about the damage pythons cause, encourage the public to continually remove these invasive snakes, and highlight the importance of responsible pet ownership so non-native species such as Burmese pythons are not released into the wild.
The SFWMD continues to expedite Everglades restoration efforts and we will continue working to protect South Florida’s natural resources and combat invasive species like Burmese pythons.
Learn more about the importance of removing as many pythons as possible from across the landscape.