Initially established in Everglades National Park in the early 1980s, Burmese pythons quickly put a stranglehold on Florida's wildlife, contributing to the decline of small mammals, including raccoons ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world.

A Florida woman caught 60 snakes in the state's annual 10-day challenge to eliminate the invasive Burmese python species wreaking havoc with the Everglades ecosystem. More than 900 people participated ...

To distinguish between poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, observe their physical features. Venomous snakes often have triangle-shaped heads, elliptical pupils, and heat-sensing pits for detecting ...

The 2025 Florida Python Challenge, ending July 20, had 933 participants from 30 states and two countries. $25,000 in prizes will be awarded across professional, novice, and military categories. The ...

The Florida Python Challenge is a 10-day competition to remove invasive Burmese pythons. The competition raises awareness of the threat these snakes pose to the Everglades ecosystem. Burmese pythons ...

The robots mimic the movements and body temperature of real rabbits, a favored prey of pythons. The project is funded by the South Florida Water Management District and builds upon previous research ...

The 2025 Florida Python Challenge yielded 294 Burmese pythons, the most since the challenge began. Taylor Stanberry won the Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000 for capturing 60 pythons. Michael Marousky ...