Hunters working across the Florida Everglades removed a record four tons of invasive Burmese pythons in a single coordinated effort, a haul that reflects both the staggering scale of the infestation and the expanding reach of state and federal removal programs.

Florida's python problem is widely tied to people importing exotic pets and releasing or losing them into the wild.

Catches like this can be a massive win toward slowing the spread of a problematic invasive species.

Last year’s winner was Taylor Stanberry, who removed 60 Burmese pythons in the record-breaking 2025 event

Brandon Welty, a python researcher with Croc Docs, holds up an antenna and receiver to track where a male python during breeding season on March 11, 2026 in the interior of the northern Everglades. Ashley Miznazi amiznazi@miamiherald.com

A Florida man was hailed as a hero for catching an 8-foot-long invasive python, and then fined for it. Where is it legal to kill them?

Burmese pythons are recognizable by more than their size. Hunters should be on the lookout for a telltale, arrow-shaped marking on the snake’s head, along with giraffe-like spots across its body and dark spots around its eyes. During the summer months, they’re most likely to be found sunning on levee banks or near trees.

A Burmese python was discovered guarding 20 eggs under a sidewalk in Florida. The reptile was spotted by a man walking nearby, who noticed movement under the concrete of the walkway, NBC 6 reported. Guillermo Tapanes, who works with the South Florida Water ...