‘It’s not just catching pythons’

Some Floridians are known for their knack for wrangling reptiles, but this year’s Florida Python Challenge has set the bar even higher.

Armed with grit and patience, one woman from Naples walked away with bragging rights and a cash prize after turning the Everglades’ biggest problem — Burmese pythons — into her biggest win.

Taylor Stanberry captured a record-setting 60 Burmese pythons, which earned her a $10,000 grand prize, according to Naples Daily News.

Each year, the challenge brings together wildlife officials, seasoned python hunters, and volunteers to restore Florida’s natural balance by hunting invasive pythons. The 10-day contest drew over 900 participants, who came together to collectively hunt and remove a record 294 pythons from South Florida’s ecosystem.

Stanberry runs several social media accounts dedicated to showing her work as an invasive species remover and venomous snake relocator.

This record-setting effort underscores how coordinated public action can tackle even the toughest environmental challenges.

“The Python Challenge is not just catching pythons,” said Ron Bergeron, a South Florida developer and board member of the South Florida Water Management District, per CBS News. “It’s educating the public, so that when you’re in the Everglades, all of the groups that recreate in the Everglades learn how to remove a python safely year-round.”

Burmese pythons are a vicious threat to the Everglades, and officials estimate there are 300,000 of them in the swampland. These massive constrictors can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh about 200 pounds, and they reproduce quickly.

According to The Times, the pythons’ rapid spread has led to population declines of up to 90% in native mammals, including raccoons, opossums, and bobcats, which they strangle and eat as they spread across Florida.

The 2025 contest not only removed hundreds of snakes but also raised awareness and gave citizens like Stanberry direct roles in conservation efforts.

This challenge is not the only attempt to wrangle invasive pythons in Florida; high-tech tools, such as solar-powered robotic rabbits, are being deployed to detect and lure pythons for removal. Since 2000, coordinated efforts have removed more than 23,000 Burmese pythons, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

While state and local governments continue to battle the spread of Burmese pythons, locals like Taylor Stanberry can take pride in fighting back against invasive species.

Just as Burmese pythons…