Govind Tekale
Taylor Stanberry has become the first woman to win the Florida Python Challenge, capturing an impressive 60 invasive Burmese pythons during the 10-day competition. The Naples resident walked away with the $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize for her efforts in what proved to be a record-breaking year for the annual hunt.
The 2025 Python Challenge, which ran from July 11-20, saw 934 participants from 30 states and Canada remove a total of 294 pythons – the highest number ever recorded in the competition’s history. This year’s event marked the first time Everglades National Park was included among the eight official competition locations.
Standing at just 4-foot-11, Stanberry often tackled snakes three times her size. Her success wasn’t just luck – she credits a decade of python hunting experience. “If you find a baby python that is still sticky and slimy, you know it’s fresh because it just came out of the egg,” Stanberry explained about her hunting technique. “That’s when you keep hunting. A lot of times you’ll find babies up in trees and bushes, and that’s when you know the nest of eggs is probably under them.”
The timing of the challenge in July coincides with python hatching season, when female pythons can lay between 50 and 100 eggs in a single nest. Stanberry’s experience as a contracted python hunter for the state of Florida gave her an edge in the competition.
Beyond the competition, Stanberry runs an exotic animal sanctuary with her husband Rhett. The couple has built a significant social media following through their YouTube channel “Tobie’s Troop,” which has over 227,000 subscribers. On Instagram, where she has more than 63,000 followers, Stanberry describes herself as a “venomous keeper” and “venomous relocator.”
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The annual Python Challenge serves a critical ecological purpose. Burmese pythons, which can grow over 18 feet long, have devastated native wildlife throughout South Florida since their introduction as escaped or released pets. Studies estimate 85-100% population declines in rabbits, raccoons, and similar-sized mammals in the Everglades ecosystem.
“The record number of invasive pythons removed during this year’s competition is a big win for native wildlife,” said Rodney Barreto, FWC Chairman. “With over 1,400 pythons removed during all Florida Python Challenge events to date and over 16,000 pythons removed by FWC and South Florida Water Management District contractors since 2017, collective efforts are the key to continue addressing the threats Burmese pythons pose to Florida’s native wildlife and ecosystems.”
The competition isn’t just about removing snakes. Ron Bergeron, South Florida Water Management District governing board member, emphasized the educational aspect: “The Python Challenge is not just catching pythons. That’s a part of it. It’s educating the public so that when you’re in the Everglades, all of the groups that recreate in the Everglades learn how to remove a python safely year-round.”
Since 2000, more than 23,500 pythons have been removed from natural areas in Florida. The number of captures increased significantly after the paid challenge was launched in 2017. The 2025 competition distributed approximately $25,000 in prizes across three categories: novice, professional, and military.
Stanberry plans to use her prize money to support and expand the exotic animal sanctuary she runs with her husband, furthering their work in wildlife conservation.
