Florida's Everglades Python Removal Program has proven success
“FWC’s partnership with Inversa has supercharged the removal of invasive Burmese Pythons from the Everglades,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “The new program accomplished more removals in July 2025 alone than in the entire year before. Our $2 million investment in python removal in the state budget has made this partnership possible, amplifying the success of the PATRIC program. We must now build on their achievements and continue investing in this proven strategy to protect the Everglades for many years to come.”
“Governor DeSantis has consistently been a champion for conservation and protecting the Everglades,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “Our partnership with Inversa and the Python Action Team Removing Invasive Constrictors (PATRIC) program highlights the milestones we’ve achieved against the invasive Burmese Python, which will benefit generations to come.”
"The success we are achieving against invasive species wouldn't be possible without the support of Governor DeSantis and the Legislature,” said FWC Executive Director Roger Young. "Thank you to the Inversa team for helping us combat this problem using emerging technological advancements."
The Python Action Team – Removing Invasive Constrictors (PATRIC) program has achieved historic success at removing invasive Burmese Pythons from the Everglades since its establishment in 2017. Last year, the FWC partnered with Miami-based company Inversa to help achieve its goal of increasing python removals by three times in two years. Today, PATRIC has already delivered on its Year 2 objectives, a full year and a half ahead of schedule. In just three months (May – July 2025), 1,022 pythons were removed, compared to 343 during that same period in 2024, and 748 were removed in July alone—more than the entire previous year’s total. Furthermore, FWC management workload is down 89% and python hunters’ pay has increased by 60% in that same period.
Since 2019, the state has taken unprecedented action to remove pythons in Florida:
- The FWC and DEP allow sfor the removal of invasive Burmese pythons from all state parks. The agencies entered into an agreement that resulted in an additional 135,000 acres of land that are now accessible for python removal.
- The U.S. Department of the Interior granted Florida’s request to increase access to federal lands for python removal, particularly within the Big Cypress National Preserve in southwest Florida.
The Florida Python Challenge is intended to increase awareness about invasive species and the threats they pose to Florida’s ecology, while offering the public a way to get directly involved in Everglades conservation through removal of invasive Burmese pythons. Competitors have the opportunity to win tens of thousands of dollars in prizes based on the size and quantity of pythons captured and removed. During this year’s 10-day competition, 934 participants from 30 states and Canada helped support Everglades conservation by collectively removing a record 294 invasive Burmese pythons from south Florida.
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 the year 2000, more than 23,000 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. 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), and by reporting sightings of other nonnative fish and wildlife online at IveGot1.org or by downloading the free IveGot1 smartphone app. For more information, visit https://myfwc.com/