A small number of Burmese pythons released in Florida multiplied into hundreds of thousands, causing massive ecological damage, including the near disappearance of many native mammals as this powerful predator spreads unchecked.

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

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.

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

Invasive reptiles may be quietly altering how plants regenerate, moving seeds across the Everglades and complicating efforts to restore balance.

Python tacos? Python pizza? 'Chicken of the Glades?' Florida considered making invasive snakes a food source. Then science stepped in.

Still, scientists no longer consider complete eradication realistic.

Preserving what's left of a python after its caught and killed requires a great deal of time, skill and patience.