Nearly 1,000 participants from 32 states, Canada and Latvia came together to remove hundreds of Burmese pythons from south Florida as part of the 2022 Florida Python Challenge.
Participants removed 231 invasive Burmese pythons during the 10-day competition created to increase awareness about invasive species and the threats they pose to Florida’s ecology.
Matthew Concepcion removed 28 Burmese pythons, winning the $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize courtesy of the Bergeron Everglades Foundation. Winning the $1,500 grand prize for the longest python removed in the competition, at a length of 11 feet, 0.24 inches, is Dustin Crum.
“Once again, the Florida Python Challenge has yielded impressive results with hundreds of invasive pythons being removed from the wild,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Removing these snakes is one of the many efforts we are employing to restore and maintain the Everglades ecosystem.”
“Every one of the pythons removed as part of the Challenge is one less preying on our native birds, mammals and reptiles. This is a win for the Everglades and a win for the people of Florida,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto.
Under the leadership of the governor, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, South Florida Water Management District and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida host, the Python Challenge continues raising awareness about invasive species in Florida and their impacts.
Burmese pythons are not native to Florida and negatively impact native species. They are found primarily in and around the Everglades ecosystem in south Florida where they prey on birds, mammals and other reptiles. A female Burmese python may lay 50 to 100 eggs at a time. Since 2000, more than 17,000 wild Burmese pythons have been removed from the state of Florida.
In addition to the Challenge, there are other ways people can continue to help control nonnative species such as Burmese pythons. Anyone can remove and humanely kill pythons any time on private lands with landowner permission and on 25 Commission-managed lands throughout south Florida.
The public can also help control invasive species by reporting nonnative fish and wildlife to the FWC’s Invasive Species Hotline at (888) 483-4681, by reporting sightings online at IveGot1.org, or by downloading the IveGot1 smartphone app. For more information, click here.