A record haul marked this year's Florida Python Challenge, with nearly 300 Burmese pythons removed from the wild, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials. The 10-day event, which ran from July 11 to 20, saw a significant jump in participation—934 hunters from 30 states and Canada descended on eight locations, including the Everglades, to curb one of Florida's most troublesome invasive species.
The grand prize of $10,000 went to Taylor Stanberry of Naples, who tracked down 60 pythons, far outpacing the competition, reports NBC Miami. The Palm Beach Post has photos of the victorious Stanberry with her various catches, while the Naples Daily News notes that the 29-year-old is a first-time participant. Stanberry, known online as a "venomous keeper," was joined by other notable contestants: Donna Kalil, last year's professional category winner, increased her tally from 19 to 56 snakes. On the novice side, Krista Hoekstra led with 14 catches, while John Southworth topped the military division with five.
Size also played a role in the contest. The largest python captured measured nearly 16 feet, caught by novice Michael Marousky. Other notable lengths included 11 feet, 2 inches in the military category and just under 10 feet among professionals. The annual hunt is an attempt to combat the spread of Burmese pythons, large constrictors that have severely disrupted native wildlife in Florida. Since the introduction of paid competitions in 2017, the number of pythons removed has surged. More than 23,500 have been taken from Florida's natural areas since 2000, with over 16,000 captured by contractors in the last seven years alone.
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