For the first time, a woman won the Florida Python Challenge in July and collected her $10,000 reward this week.
More than 900 people from 30 different states and even some from Canada participated in the 2025 Florida Python Challenge last month, removing a record-breaking number of 294 invasive Burmese Pythons in just 10 days.
But there was one Florida-native python hunter who removed more of the gigantic snakes than anyone else who participated, securing a $10,000 prize that was awarded to her by the FWC this week.
Taylor Stanberry, who stands at less than half the height of most of the snakes she catches, pulled in a whopping 60 pythons during the challenge.
Here’s what we know about Taylor and what the Python Challenge is, if you aren’t familiar.
How does the Florida Python Challenge work?
The Florida Python Challenge is one of the many efforts the FWC has in place to keep the python population in the state as low as possible. It offers a cash prize to the python hunter who removes the most pythons over a 10-day period.
Although the event is usually held in August, it was held in July this year and included a broader range of hunting grounds. This year, the challenge began on Friday, July 11 at 12:01 a.m. and lasted through Sunday, July 20 at 5 p.m.
“The event, hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District, features an Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000 for the registered participant who removes the most pythons,” the FWC’s website says.
“An exciting addition to this year’s event is the inclusion of Everglades National Park as one of eight official Florida Python Challenge competition locations.”
Who is Taylor Stanberry? Meet the 2025 Python Challenge winner
Stanberry is a 29-year-old Naples native and the first woman to win the Florida Python Challenge grand prize.
She works at a canine physical therapy rehab center, is a python contractor with the FWC, runs a small exotic animal rescue and posts online about her adventures with her husband to the tune of almost 69,000 Instagram followers and 227,000 YouTube subscribers.
“I’ve been looking for wildlife since I was a little kid. I used to go fishing with my dad and we would catch toads and I would bring them home to play with them,” Stanberry said. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started traveling around the world looking for wildlife, especially snakes, to video and photograph.”
She told The Daily News that she plans to use the prize money to expand her animals’ enclosures and pay for gas to do more of what she does best: python hunt.
How much is a license to hunt pythons in Florida?
Since pythons are invasive and plentiful, you don’t need a license or permit to hunt them in Florida.
Hunting them in Florida is encouraged because Burmese pythons have very few predators. That’s why the FWC runs the statewide python challenge to get the public involved in the hunt for the massive, invasive snakes. Although the chances of completely eradicating pythons from South Florida are low, the hunt helps control their numbers.
“Hunters, anglers and outdoor recreationists with experience removing pythons or other large constrictors from the wild are encouraged to apply, with preference given to Florida residents and military veterans,” the Fort Myers News-Press reported last year.
The FWC also has a Python Action Team that hires contractors to kill the invasive snakes.
