2025 Python Challenge: Florida woman wins with 60-snake haul; record 294 invasive pythons caught

[Desmond Milligan 0]

The Brief

• Taylor Stanberry won the 2025 Python Challenge after capturing 60 Burmese pythons in the Everglades.

• Hunters removed a record 294 pythons in the 10-day event, aimed at protecting native wildlife.

• The competition highlights Florida’s ongoing efforts to control invasive species with support from state agencies and private sponsors.

EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, Fla. - A Florida woman has claimed the top prize in the 2025 Python Challenge after capturing 60 Burmese pythons during the 10-day hunting event in the Everglades.

What we know

Taylor Stanberry, a 4-foot-11 Florida woman, won the 2025 Python Challenge after capturing 60 Burmese pythons during the 10-day competition in the Everglades, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

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The event removed a record 294 invasive pythons from South Florida, a species that threatens native wildlife and damages the ecosystem.

Nine other hunters also received awards, including Aaron Man, who set a state record by catching 87 Burmese pythons in a single month. He earned a $1,000 prize for his July total.

What we don't know

It is unclear how many of the pythons removed would have survived if not captured, or the exact impact of the challenge on the broader Everglades ecosystem long-term. The total population of Burmese pythons in the region also remains uncertain.

The backstory

Burmese pythons are a nonnative species in Florida that has been devastating native wildlife for years. Florida began offering monetary incentives to encourage residents to capture and humanely remove pythons from private lands.

The Python Challenge is part of a larger statewide effort to reduce the population and raise awareness about invasive species.

Earlier this year, Florida expanded cash incentives to encourage skilled residents to capture and humanely kill pythons on private lands in an effort to protect native habitats.

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The Source

This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

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