Hunter Eliminates 96 Burmese Pythons, Wins Florida Challenge

Published on 06/08/2026 08:37 in animals • Elliot Deady

Tom Rahill, a professional python hunter, won this year’s Florida Python Challenge after removing 96 invasive Burmese pythons from Everglades National Park. The challenge, a 10-day event aimed at reducing the invasive snake population, awarded Rahill a $10,000 cash prize.

The Annual Challenge and Participation

Hosted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC), the South Florida Water Management District, and the National Park Service, the challenge invites hunters to capture and humanely euthanize as many pythons as possible across eight designated locations. This year’s competition drew 907 participants from 30 US states, Canada, and Vietnam.

Rahill, who founded the organization SwampApes in Broward County to take veterans with PTSD on python hunts, stated at a recent FWC meeting that his initial goal was to secure a large snake for a veteran. He later ventured deeper into the Everglades, where he harvested the remaining 96 pythons.

Efforts to Control the Python Population

Efforts to Control the Python Population

A total of 280 pythons were removed during the 10-day challenge in July, bringing the total number of pythons removed this year to 1,400. The challenge also awarded prizes for other categories, including a $1,000 prize for the longest python, which was won by Rahm Levinson for a snake measuring 16ft 5in.

Burmese pythons, native to Southeast Asia, have significantly impacted the Everglades ecosystem since their appearance in the 1990s, consuming native wildlife and disrupting the food chain. Conservative estimates suggest the population numbers in the tens of thousands, and concerns remain about their rapid reproduction rates.

The annual challenge, held during the summer hatching season, aims to increase the number of pythons captured and raise public awareness about invasive species. Since 2017, the event has contributed to the removal of over 1,600 pythons, with FWC contractors removing over 19,000 since 2017. Sarah Funck, program coordinator at the FWC, emphasized that while there is no single solution to the python invasion, “the elimination of just one python ‘is a win for Florida’s native wildlife.’”