Burmese pythons spread beyond the Everglades as Florida's Python Challenge begins, offering $25,000 in prizes.

University of Florida researchers documented a surprising new threat to Burmese python eggs in the Everglades, adding to growing evidence that native wildlife is fighting back against the invasive species.

Large pythons have shared forests, grasslands and river systems across Asia for thousands of years, yet two of the region's most famous species are often mistaken for one another. The Burmese python and the Indian rock python belong to the same genus and were even treated as closely related forms of the same species for many years.

The annual Florida Python Challenge is only a few weeks away, but participants will have trouble matching a new record set earlier this month. Between November 2025 and April 2026, researchers removed 177 apex predators weighing a combined 8,