Results and winners of Florida Python Challenge™ announced by FWC
FWC photos of Ultimate Grand Prize winner, Ronald Kiger.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and partners celebrated the successful conclusion of the 2024 Florida Python Challenge™ by announcing the results and winners of the 10-day competition at its Commission Meeting, held Sept. 17, 2024 in Duck Key, Florida.
The aim of the Florida Python Challenge™ is to increase awareness about invasive species and the threats they pose to Florida’s ecology. This year, 857 participants from 33 states and Canada helped support Everglades conservation by collectively removing 195 invasive Burmese pythons from south Florida as part of the competition.
The Ultimate Grand Prize winner, Ronald Kiger (see photos), removed 20 Burmese pythons, winning $10,000! The other winners and prizes - for longest pythons and most pythons removed, in the novice, professional and military categories - are detailed below:
2024 Florida Python Challenge™ Prize Winners:
Ultimate Grand Prize - $10,000
Awarded to the participant who removes the most pythons as part of the competition.
Ronald Kiger - 20 pythons
Most Pythons Prize - $2,500
Professional: Donna Kalil - 19 pythons
Novice: Thomas Hobbs - 16 pythons
Most Pythons Runner-Up Prize - $1,500
Professional: Marcos Rodriguez - 16 pythons
Novice: Donald Straughan - 7 pythons
Longest Python Prize - $1,000
Professional: Quentin Archie - 8 feet, 11 inches
Novice: Dennis Krum - 9 feet, 11 inches
Military Most Pythons Prize - $2,500
Jeff Lince (Army) - 5 pythons
Military Most Pythons Runner-Up Prize - $1,500
David Wagner (Army) - 3 pythons
Military Longest Python Prize - $1,000
Antonio Ramos (Army) - 9 feet, 7 inches
“Congratulations to all the 2024 Florida Python Challenge winners,” said South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Member “Alligator Ron” Bergeron. "Our python hunters are passionate about protecting the Everglades, and I am proud of their efforts to remove these invasive snakes from across this precious ecosystem. Every invasive python that is removed makes a difference for Florida’s environment and its native wildlife...Long live the Everglades!”
“The success of the 2024 Florida Python Challenge was a collective achievement...,” said Rodney Barreto, FWC Chairman. “Over 14,000 pythons have been successfully removed by FWC and South Florida Water Management District contractors since 2017. This collective effort continues to have a direct positive impact on the Everglades and our native wildlife through removal and awareness.”
“There were over 700 competitors from Florida and over 100 from out of state, including two from Canada, who participated in this year’s Florida Python Challenge,” said Roger Young, FWC Executive Director.
About Purmese Pythons:
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 can lay 50 to 100 eggs at a time. Since 2000, more than 22,000 wild Burmese pythons have been removed from the state of Florida and reported to the FWC.
In addition to the Florida Python Challenge™, there are other ways people can continue to help control nonnative species such as Burmese pythons. Anyone may remove and humanely kill pythons and other nonnative reptiles at any time on private lands with landowner permission and on 32 FWC-managed lands throughout south Florida.
Additional Information:
The public can also help control invasive species by reporting nonnative snakes, tegus and monitor lizards to the FWC’s Invasive Species Hotline at 888-IVE-GOT1 (888-483-4681).
Report sightings of other nonnative fish and wildlife by downloading the IveGot1.org smartphone app:
For more information about nonnative species, visit MyFWC.com/Nonnatives.
For more information, about the annual Python Challenge, visit FLPythonChallenge.org.
Photos from the 2024 Florida Python Challenge™ are available at flickr.com/photos/myfwcmedia/albums/72177720320378623/.
A video from the 2024 Florida Python Challenge™ is available at
flpythonchallenge.org/newsroom/videos/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=campaign.