The 2026 Florida Python Challenge officially begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 10, and will run for 10 days, concluding at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 19. Hundreds of hunters will fan out across the Florida Everglades to track down and remove as many invasive Burmese pythons as possible.
Prizes and Registration
Participants are competing for a total prize pool of $25,000, funded by corporate and private sponsors through the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. The competitor who removes the highest number of pythons during the 10-day window will take home the Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000.
Registration remains open throughout the entire event, closing on the final day, July 19. To join, competitors must visit FLPythonChallenge.org, complete a mandatory online training course, and pay the registration fee.
The prize money and event support are made possible by several conservation donors, including Inversa, the Bergeron Everglades Foundation, and the Rotary Clubs of Florida.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
