Woman snags $10,000 and 60 invasive snakes in record-breaking Florida Python Challenge

CBS News

2 days ago

When it was all said and done Wednesday, a woman emerged as the top snake slayer of the 2025 Florida Python Challenge.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced Taylor Stanberry removed 60 invasive Burmese pythons and claimed the $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize.
The FWC announced that 934 participants from 30 states and Canada removed a record 294 pythons during the 10-day competition.
This year marked the first time Everglades National Park was included among the eight official competition locations.
Florida authorities said the competition plays a crucial role in preserving Florida's natural biodiversity and gives residents an active role in environmental protection.
Stanberry, a Naples, Florida resident, alongside her husband, Rhett, runs a Facebook page dedicated to snakes and hunting. The couple also has a YouTube and Instagram page.
The Florida Python Challenge, now a yearly event, includes public education.
"The python, animal that can get 20 feet long and weigh 200 pounds, is destroying the natural food chain. Under the leadership of the FWC, we started the Python Challenge," Ron Bergeron, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) governing board member, said.
The goal is twofold: reduce the impact of the invasive species and raise public awareness about the threat these animals pose to native wildlife in the Greater Everglades ecosystem, state officials said.
"The Python Challenge is not just catching pythons. That's a part of it. 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," Bergeron said.