# Florida Python Challenge

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{{Short description|American hunting competition}}
thumb|A Burmese python in the Florida Everglades
The '''Florida Python Challenge''' is an annual, ten-day competition where professional and novice participants join in the effort to remove [invasive Burmese pythons in Florida](/source/Burmese_pythons_in_Florida).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Florida Python Challenge - Python Challenge |url=https://flpythonchallenge.org/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Florida Python Challenge |language=en}}</ref> Past the goal of removing pythons, the competition also serves as a [conservation](/source/Wildlife_conservation) effort to raise awareness about [invasive species](/source/invasive_species)’ impacts to the local ecology and to encourage the public to continuously remove [Burmese pythons](/source/Burmese_python) from the wild. It is supported by the [Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission](/source/Florida_Fish_and_Wildlife_Conservation_Commission) (FWC), the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida, the [South Florida Water Management District](/source/South_Florida_Water_Management_District) (SFWMD), and [Governor Ron DeSantis](/source/Ron_DeSantis).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-19 |title=DYK: 2023 Florida Python Challenge® a Huge S-S-S-Success {{!}} South Florida Water Management District |url=https://www.sfwmd.gov/news-events/news/dyk-2023-florida-python-challenger-huge-s-s-s-success |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=www.sfwmd.gov |language=en}}</ref> 

Most recently, in 2024, the Florida Python Challenge resulted in the total removal of 195 pythons, and the winner removed 20 pythons.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=FWC announces results and winners of the 2024 Florida Python Challenge™ |url=https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/python-winners-924/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission |language=en}}</ref> 

== Rules ==
The competition rules generally align with the area regulations of the seven competition locations (Big Cypress [Wildlife Management Area](/source/Wildlife_management_area), Everglades and St. Francis Taylor WMA, Frog Pond Public Small Game Hunting Area, Holey Land WMA, Rocky Glades Public Small Game Hunting Area, Rotenberger WMA, and Southern Glades WMA),<ref name=":1" /> but there are additional rules specific to the competition, covering registration, removal methods, and animal handling. 

Participants may register as a professional or a novice. Professionals are those that are paid python removal contractors for the [FWC](/source/Florida_Fish_and_Wildlife_Conservation_Commission) or [SFWMD](/source/South_Florida_Water_Management_District), while novices are all other participants, i.e. members of the public.<ref name=":1" /> To register, there is a fee of $25, and participants must take a required online training. Participants must not have prior convictions for fish or wildlife violations or [animal cruelty](/source/Cruelty_to_animals).

Certain methods, such as the use of [firearms](/source/Firearm), [traps](/source/Trapping), [bait](/source/Bait_(luring_substance)), explosives, and chemicals, are prohibited. Participants are disqualified if they kill a [native](/source/Native_species) Florida snake, submit a python that was a pet, are found to have inhumanely killed a python, etc.<ref name=":1" /> Additionally, participants are not allowed to harm “scout snakes,” which are Burmese pythons that are tracked for research purposes and marked with orange tags.<ref name=":1" />

As Burmese pythons are protected by anti-cruelty law, participants are required to abide by the [American Veterinary Medical Association](/source/American_Veterinary_Medical_Association)’s recommendations for methods of humanely killing [reptiles](/source/Reptile). The general, two-step method, regardless of what tools are used, is:

# Immediate loss of consciousness: Force must be applied to the [brain](/source/brain) so that the target immediately loses consciousness.
# Destroy the brain: Via [pithing](/source/pithing), a small rod must be inserted into the [cranial cavity](/source/cranial_cavity) to substantially destroy the brain.<ref name=":1" />

== History ==
The Florida Python Challenge first ran in 2013 as a month-long competition, then again in 2016. It was brought back in 2020 as a ten-day competition initially dubbed the “Python Bowl”<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=80 pythons submitted during the 2020 Python Bowl! |url=https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/80-pythons/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission |language=en}}</ref>—since then, the competition duration has remained as ten days, and it has been held annually. 

In 2023, $10,000 was awarded to the Ultimate Grand Prize winner for most pythons removed (Paul Hobbs with 20 pythons), and $7,500 was awarded to the Ultimate Grand Prize Runner-Up (Ronald Kiger with 14 pythons).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=ICYMI: Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez Announces Winners of the 2023 Florida Python Challenge® |url=https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/python-challenge/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission |language=en}}</ref> In addition, prizes of $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 were respectively awarded to the Most Pythons, Most Pythons Runner-Up, and Longest Python winners for three categories: Military Prizes, Professional Prizes, and Novice Prizes.
{| class="wikitable"
|+History of the Florida Python Challenge
!Year
!Number of Participants
!Competition Duration
!Total Pythons Removed
!Grand Prize (Most Pythons Removed)
|-
|2024
|857
|10 days
|195
|Ronald Kiger, 20 pythons<ref name=":3" />
|-
|2023
|1050
|10 days
|209
|Paul Hobbs, 20 pythons<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2022
|Nearly 1000
|10 days
|231
|Matthew Concepcion, 28 pythons<ref>{{Cite web |title=Python Challenge 1022 |url=https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/python-challenge-1022/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2021
|Over 600
|10 days
|223
|Charles Danton, 41 pythons<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and partners celebrate another successful Florida Python Challenge® |url=https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/python-challenge-821/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2020
|Over 750
|10 days
|80
|Mike Kimmel, 8 pythons<ref name=":2" />
|-
|2019
|''Did not run''
|
|
|
|-
|2018
|''Did not run''
|
|
|
|-
|2017
|''Did not run''
|
|
|
|-
|2016
|Over 1000
|1 month
|106
|Bill Booth’s team, 33 pythons<ref>{{Cite web |title=With 106 snakes removed, 2016 Python Challenge™ a success |url=https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/138e28d |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2015
|''Did not run''
|
|
|
|-
|2014
|''Did not run''
|
|
|
|-
|2013
|Nearly 1600
|1 month
|68
|Brian Barrows, 6 pythons (General Competition) and Ruben Ramirez, 18 pythons (Python Permit Holders Competition)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-02-17 |title=Python Challenge results: 68 snakes caught in Florida competition |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna50835896 |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>
|}

== Impact ==
As it is difficult to detect pythons in the wild, scientists are unsure of the exact number of Burmese pythons in Florida, with estimates exceeding the tens of thousands.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How many Burmese pythons inhabit southern Florida? {{!}} U.S. Geological Survey |url=https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-many-burmese-pythons-inhabit-southern-florida |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.usgs.gov}}</ref> In 2023, a [USGS](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey) study confirmed that the total eradication of Burmese pythons in Florida is likely impossible.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Comprehensive Review of Burmese Python Science Released {{!}} U.S. Geological Survey |url=https://www.usgs.gov/centers/wetland-and-aquatic-research-center/news/comprehensive-review-burmese-python-science |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.usgs.gov}}</ref> Therefore, the results of the Florida Python Challenge are not very significant in the context of total estimates; still, the event has contributed to raising awareness, and even removing small numbers of invasive species helps protect native species.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Alex |last2=Herald |first2=Miami |title=Florida pays python hunters to clear the Everglades. Ten years later, is it working? |url=https://phys.org/news/2023-09-florida-pays-python-hunters-everglades.html |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=phys.org |language=en}}</ref>

Generally, the Florida Python Challenge is well-supported by local agencies, officials, and the media. However, there are few who claim that the challenge is unethical and ineffective.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us {{!}} Florida Python Challenge |url=https://floridapython.org/about-us/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

Category:Invasive species in Florida
Category:Hunting in the United States
Category:Everglades

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Florida Python Challenge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Python_Challenge) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Python_Challenge?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.