The Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s ongoing python removal program has surpassed a remarkable milestone, extracting more than 40,000 pounds of Burmese pythons from the wild since it began in 2013, with a six-month season batch alone totaling about 6,300 pounds. The cumulative effort underscores a sustained, data-driven approach to restoring balance to South Florida’s fragile ecosystems.
A cornerstone of the program is the use of surgically implanted radio transmitters in male pythons, which the team calls “scout snakes.” Released back into the wild, these scouts guide researchers to breeding females, enabling targeted removal of the most reproduction-heavy individuals. By intercepting breeding-age females, the program aims to suppress the population over time, reducing hatchling inroads into an Everglades landscape already altered by invasive predators.
The latest six-month haul builds on a decade of work, and the numbers tell only part of the story. Ian Bartoszek, the wildlife biologist who oversees the python team, often asks how much effort goes into producing 40,000 pounds of Burmese pythons, a question that’s answered in the lab after every necropsy. Post-mortem exams reveal the snakes’ diets, with gut contents showing a surprising diversity of prey. Researchers collaborating with the University of Florida have identified remains from deer hooves to alligator scales and even bobcat claws, painting a picture of the python’s wide and opportunistic appetite. To date, the team has documented pythons feeding on at least 85 species in Florida, including foxes, rabbits, raccoons, birds, reptiles, and wild hogs.
The operation spans roughly 200 square miles of sawgrass, cypress, and swampy terrain north of I-75, stretching from Naples into the western Everglades. The team’s method remains aggressive and hands-on: scout snakes track down reproductive females, which are then captured and removed. The goal, Bartoszek explains, is not just a single season’s success but ongoing suppression of the local population.
The Burmese python is a formidable apex predator capable of reaching lengths over 18 feet and prey larger than itself, contributing to declines in small mammals and birds across South Florida. Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey emphasize the difficulty of studying such cryptic, secretive creatures, but add that obtaining life-history data on reproduction and movement is essential for refining control tools. The partnership between the Conservancy, USGS, the University of Florida, and other agencies is central to building a long-term, evidence-based strategy.
During the breeding window—roughly November through April—the scouts directly lead researchers to reproductive females. Removing a female not only removes an individual but potentially prevents hundreds of eggs from hatching. Since the program’s inception, the Conservancy’s team reports that the removal of breeding-age females has prevented an estimated 20,000 eggs from hatching.
The work is physically demanding and often remote. Field captures require moving through off-grid terrain, navigating sawgrass and thorny vegetation, and contending with hazards such as hornets’ nests. Video footage of the team in action captures the “rodeo” nature of the operation, with scouts and researchers coordinating to identify which snakes are scouts and which are new captures.
Even as the program expands, signs of progress emerge. Bartoszek notes that in areas saturated with male scouts, large females—key targets—are becoming fewer. Fewer big females typically translate to fewer eggs and, in turn, fewer hatchlings in the ecosystem. The overarching aim remains clear: local population suppression to lessen the impact of the python invasion on native wildlife.
Support for the program comes from a broad base of donors and institutional partners. The Conservancy estimates the annual cost at roughly a quarter of a million dollars, covering salaries, insurance, equipment, and related needs. The effort benefits from collaboration with the United States Geological Survey, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the University of Florida, and the South Florida Water Management District, among others. The research produced is widely regarded as front-line and invaluable, with the team stressing that the knowledge gained is hard to put a price on.
Despite the progress, Bartoszek stresses that the fight against Burmese pythons requires broad participation. He urges Floridians not to fear the snakes, but to contribute as citizen observers by reporting sightings through the invasive species hotline (888-IVE-GOT1) or the IveGot1 mobile app.
For readers seeking a broader view of this work, information about the Conservancy’s ongoing python efforts is available at conservancy.org.
Summary and outlook
– Since 2013, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida has removed more than 40,000 pounds of Burmese pythons, with over 6,300 pounds collected in the latest six-month season.
– The team uses surgically implanted male “scout” pythons to locate breeding females and reduce eggs and hatchlings.
– Necropsies reveal pythons’ diverse diets, with evidence of prey from at least 85 species.
– The program covers about 200 square miles of habitat north of I-75, from Naples to the western Everglades.
– Since 2013, the effort is estimated to have prevented around 20,000 python eggs from hatching.
– Ongoing partnerships, funding from donors, and a multi-agency collaboration underpin the work, which costs about a quarter-million dollars annually.
– Community involvement remains crucial: report sightings via the hotline or app to help protect Florida’s native wildlife.
Editor’s note: This program combines field science, animal welfare considerations, and community engagement to address an invasive species challenge with real ecological consequences. It’s a model of how targeted removal, coupled with data-driven research, can make a meaningful difference while inviting public participation in conservation. Positive momentum here should be seen as part of a long-term, collaborative effort to restore balance to the Everglades and beyond. A hopeful outlook rests on continued funding, expanded partnerships, and active citizen reporting.