Burmese pythons are one of the most destructive and harmful invasive species in the Greater Everglades, preying upon native birds, mammals and even alligators. Did you know members of the public can help to safely eliminate these invasive snakes and protect our one-of-a-kind Everglades ecosystem?
The 2022 Florida Python Challenge® will take place August 5-14, 2022 and will allow both professional and novice participants the opportunity to join in the effort to remove pythons from public lands in South Florida. The 10-day competition and conservation effort is a partnership between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and highlights the threat pythons pose to native wildlife.
Both agencies continue to take aggressive action to expand python removal efforts and increase the number of harmful pythons that are captured and eliminated from the Greater Everglades ecosystem.
Since 2019, the state has taken unprecedented action to remove pythons in Florida:
- SFWMD is removing about 60 percent more pythons each year under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis.
- Governor DeSantis directed FWC and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to allow for the removal of pythons from all state parks. The agencies entered into an agreement that resulted in an additional 134,648 acres of land that are now accessible for python removal.
- The U.S. Department of the Interior granted Florida’s request to increase access to federal lands for python removal, particularly within the Big Cypress National Preserve.
Every python that is removed from the Everglades makes a difference. When these destructive snakes aggressively prey on native wildlife, they rob panthers, raptors, bobcats, and other native predators of their primary food sources.