A remarkable event unfolded in the Florida Everglades as Taylor Stanberry emerged as the top competitor in the 2025 Florida Python Challenge, capturing the attention of conservationists and the public alike. Stanberry, a resident of Naples, Florida, secured the Ultimate Grand Prize by removing 60 invasive Burmese pythons from the environment, earning her a cash reward of $10,000. The competition, which ran for 10 days from July 11 to July 20, involved 934 participants from 30 states and Canada, collectively setting a new record with 294 pythons removed. This year marked the first inclusion of Everglades National Park as one of the official competition locations, reflecting the organizers' commitment to broadening conservation efforts in the iconic ecosystem.

The Python Challenge is an annual event hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District, designed to combat the ecological threat posed by invasive Burmese pythons. These snakes, which can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh around 200 pounds, have caused severe disruption to Florida's native wildlife and ecosystems. The Challenge serves a dual purpose: it actively reduces the python population while raising public awareness about the dangers these invasive snakes represent. According to Ron Bergeron, a South Florida Water Management District governing board member, the program also educates the public to safely identify and remove pythons from the Everglades throughout the year.

The competition divides contestants into professional, novice, and military categories, offering additional prizes for capturing the most pythons or the longest snake in each group. For example, other winners included Donna Kalil, who caught 56 pythons and was awarded the professional category prize for most snakes caught. The event’s timing proved advantageous, coinciding with the hatching season of the pythons when many juveniles are newly emerged, allowing participants to encounter a higher number of smaller snakes. This factor contributed to the unprecedented total capture count, a significant leap from the 195 snakes removed during last year's competition.

Taylor Stanberry and her husband, Rhett, are active participants in the snake removal effort beyond the Challenge, running social media platforms focused on snakes and hunting. Their dedication highlights the human element behind this critical conservation challenge. The Florida Python Challenge not only incentivizes removal of the invasive snakes but also strengthens community involvement in preserving Florida’s natural biodiversity. With over 16,000 pythons removed by contractors and thousands more by citizens since 2017, the ongoing fight against this invasive species continues to be a crucial environmental priority for Florida.