The first day of 2026 Florida Python Challenge kicked off at midnight Friday, and now avid and amateur hunters alike can compete for cash prizes as they work to rid the Everglades of the ravenous, invasive Burmese python.

Python hunters in Florida will begin competing in the state’s annual removal competition one minute after the clock strikes midnight on Friday.

Hunters stepping into the Everglades arena for the 2026 Python Challenge will find a population unculled by winter’s freak freeze and the potential need for a strategic reset in tactics because of drought. While Florida wildlife ecologists maintain the ...

In two weeks, the 2026 Florida Python Challenge™ kicks off! Registered participants have the opportunity to win a share of $25,000 in prizes while removing invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades ecosystem and raising awareness about invasive species.

Registration is now open for the 2026 Florida Python Challenge, when avid and amateur hunters alike can compete for cash prizes as they work to rid the Everglades of the ravenous, invasive Burmese python. The ultimate grand prize is $10,000, but another $ ...

The dates for the 2026 Florida Python Challenge – the annual 10-day hunt for invasive Burmese pythons – were announced today, May 19, with registration now open. The 2026 python hunt will run from July 10, 2026, to July 19, 2026. The hunt helps ...

Florida wildlife officials released more information about the 2026 Florida Python Challenge on Tuesday, which brings hunters from all over to compete for a big cash prize while also helping protect the local ecosystem. The competition has been held every ...

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, center, holds a Burmese python at a media event, Thursday, June 16, 2022, where he announced that registration for the 2022 Florida Python Challenge has opened for the annual 10-day event to be held Aug 5-14, , in Miami.

This week the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District announced the dates for the 2026 Florida Python Challenge. The competition will take place July 10 to July 19. The Naples Daily News and The ...