Woman Wins 2025 Florida Python Challenge After Removing More Invasive Snakes Than Anyone Else
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A woman has won the 2025 Florida Python Challenge's grand prize after removing 60 invasive snakes from the Everglades
Taylor Stanberry came out victorious after competing with 934 participants from 30 states and Canada to see who could remove the most snakes from the Florida Everglades in 10 days
"The record number of invasive pythons removed from the Everglades during this year's competition is a big win for native wildlife," FWC chairman Rodney Barreto said in a statement
A woman who removed 60 invasive pythons from South Florida in just 10 days is now $10,000 richer.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced the winner of its annual Florida Python Challenge on Wednesday, Aug. 13, after the event removed a record 294 invasive Burmese pythons from the wild.
According to the FWC, 934 participants from 30 states and Canada took part in the challenge this year. During the event, hunters attempted to remove the most pythons from the Florida Everglades in a 10-day period, which began on July 11.
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The grand-prize winner of this year's challenge — a state effort to decrease the number of Burmese pythons in the Everglades and minimize the reptile's threat to native wildlife — was Taylor Stanberry. According to her Instagram, she's a "venomous keeper" and "relocator" who has already been dubbed the "new queen of the Everglades."
"The record number of invasive pythons removed from the Everglades during this year's competition is a big win for native wildlife," FWC chairman Rodney Barreto said in a statement. "With over 1,400 pythons removed during all Florida Python Challenge events to date and over 16,000 pythons removed by FWC and South Florida Water Management District contractors since 2017, collective efforts are the key to continuing to address the threats Burmese pythons pose to Florida's native wildlife and ecosystems."
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Pedro Ramos, superintendent of Everglades National Park, added that the challenge and record participation highlighted the "importance of citizen engagement as we tackle one of the toughest conservation challenges of our time, invasive exotic species of animals and plants."
Other winners this year include hunters who caught dozens of pythons, and a prize for the "longest" snake captured.
According to CBS News, the reptiles are native to Asia and likely entered the wild as a result of the exotic pet trade. Per the FWC, Burmese python females lay between 50 and 100 eggs at a time, which facilitates the rapid spread of the snakes. Since 2000, over 23,000 pythons have been captured and removed from the Everglades.
To even take part in the challenge, participants were required to pass an online training, per the event's website, and had to kill the pythons humanely. The challenge did not permit the use of firearms, dogs, or other animals.
"We could not have done this without the continued support and much-appreciated collaboration with our partners at the South Florida Water Management District and the National Park Service," Roger Young, FWC executive director, said in a statement. "This year's significant addition of Everglades National Park as one of our official Python Challenge competition locations provided an exciting new opportunity for competitors while helping to boost public awareness about invasive Burmese pythons and how people can help."
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