Quick Take
- The 2026 challenge captured fewer snakes than 2025, and yet it somehow produced the most dominant individual performance in the event's history. See the 2026 event stats →
- The grand prize winner's real identity goes far beyond python hunting, and learning who they are changes how you see who shows up to compete. Meet the champion →
- The longest python pulled from the Everglades this year was a staggering size, but that still wasn't enough to win the top prize. See the longest python winner →
Several months ago, A-Z Animals published a story about the Florida Python Challenge. This state agency-sponsored event offered cash prizes to participants willing to enter the swamps of the Everglades and capture invasive pythons. The event served two purposes: providing the public with a fun, high-stakes competition and protecting vulnerable habitats from destructive invasive species. Just recently, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced the winner of this year’s $10,000 grand prize.
Although the competition has a festive atmosphere, its goal is serious: removing invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades. Contenders came in from across the country to try to nab the biggest one. Now that the event is over, eager fans deserve a recap of how it unfolded, and the winner of this year’s Florida Python Challenge deserves recognition.
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The 2026 Florida Python Challenge
This year’s challenge resulted in the capture of 280 Burmese pythons.
©Teo Tarras/Shutterstock.com
This year’s challenge has concluded, and the results are in. According to Sarah Funck, the FWC Nonnative Fish and Wildlife Program Coordinator and Wildlife Impact Management Section Leader, competition was fierce. A total of 907 people participated in the 2026 challenge. This resulted in the capture of 280 pythons between July 10th and July 19th.
Surprisingly, the 2026 Florida Python Challenge was slightly smaller in scale compared to last year. In 2025, 934 people from 30 states and Canada removed a total of 294 Burmese pythons, narrowly surpassing this year’s numbers. Even so, many snakes were removed this year, and several awards were given, with prizes ranging from $1,000 up to the $10,000 grand prize. The overall winner, however, was Tom Rahill.
Python-Wrangling Champion
Although fewer snakes were caught in this year’s Florida Python Challenge compared to last year, the top winner set a new record. And that record belongs to Tom Rahill, a professional python hunter with over a decade of experience.
Remarkably, Rahill caught 96 pythons during this year’s challenge, earning him the $10,000 grand prize. Last year, the first woman to win the grand prize, Taylor Stanberry, caught 60 pythons. As reported by WTSP, Rahill was grateful for his win. He said, “The Lord has blessed me greatly.”
In addition to his career as a python hunter, Rahill is the founder of Swamp Apes, a non-profit organization that provides opportunities and experiences for veterans and first responders. During the FWC awards ceremony, Rahill mentioned that he helped a veteran capture a massive snake during this year’s challenge.
Other Winners
This year’s winner, Tom Rahill, captured an impressive 96 pythons.
©YouTube/fox35 – Original
The second-place $2,500 prize was awarded to Christina Kraus for removing 36 Burmese pythons. While Taylor Stanberry failed to take this year’s top prize, she still managed to nab the third-place $1,500 prize for removing 34 Burmese pythons.
The $1,000 award for the longest python was awarded to Rahm Levinson for capturing a 16-foot, 5-inch Burmese python.
Eager fans and reptile enthusiasts will have to wait until next summer for another opportunity to participate in state-sanctioned python hunting.
