Hunters converged on Florida Everglades to kill invasive pythons. Here’s final tally

Hundreds of snake hunters scoured the Florida Everglades for 10 days, vying to catch the most — and biggest — invasive Burmese pythons.

Now, the winner of the 2024 Florida Python Challenge has been awarded the grand prize of $10,000 for catching 20 pythons, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced Sept 17. In total, 195 snakes were removed by 857 participants from 33 states and Canada.

Ronald Kiger took home first place after finishing as runner-up last year with six fewer snakes, the FWC said.

The annual contest ran from Aug. 9 to Aug. 18 and saw a slightly smaller final haul than in 2023, when over 1,000 competitors removed 209 snakes. Even so, FWC officials called the event a success.

Donna Kalil finished just short of Kiger with 19 snakes in the professional category, while Thomas Hobbs found 16 in the novice category. Each of them was awarded $2,500. A novice caught the longest python, measuring 9 feet 11 inches, and won $1,000.

State officials have encouraged the capture and humane killing of Burmese pythons since the non-native species took root in south Florida and began to proliferate in the Everglades, with few natural predators to curb their population growth.

The snakes can lay up to 100 eggs at a time and consume both native and endangered mammals, birds and reptiles, experts say.

Snake hunters have removed more than 14,000 Burmese pythons from Florida since 2017, according to FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. Officials with the U.S. Geological Survey say it’s hard to completely eradicate a species once it’s spread across a large area, but Florida hasn’t given up the fight to at least mitigate the snake’s numbers.

“Every invasive python that is removed makes a difference for Florida’s environment and its native wildlife,” South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Member “Alligator Ron” Bergeron said in the release.

The FWC asks that anyone who sees a Burmese python in Florida to report it. Take a photo, document your location and report the snake to the Exotic Species Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1 (888-483-4681), using the IveGot1 app or online at IveGot1.org.

“Long live the Everglades,” Bergeron said.