Hunting Pythons in Florida: A Hispanic Couple's Nighttime Adventure

A couple has turned python hunting into a daring yet profitable venture. Bayo Hernández and his wife are actively engaged in tackling this invasive species that threatens the delicate ecological balance of the Everglades. They venture into the dense wetlands at night, when pythons are most active, to capture them by hand.

The task is no walk in the park, as they face off against reptiles that can grow over 16 feet long. While not venomous, these snakes can exert a deadly squeeze on their prey. "These snakes have no natural predators here. If we don’t stop them, they'll continue to reproduce unchecked," Bayo explained in recent remarks to Univision, who accompanied him on one of his python-hunting escapades.

Thriving on the Python Challenge

Bayo and his wife take part in a state competition that rewards those who capture the most of this invasive species. The grand prize is $10,000, which serves as an extra incentive for participants like Bayo and his partner, who are committed to this hazardous task in defense of the ecosystem. Originally from Southeast Asia, Burmese pythons arrived in Florida as exotic pets. Many were either released by their owners or escaped during hurricanes like Andrew in 1992. Now, they multiply unchecked, causing a drastic decline in native mammal populations, such as raccoons, opossums, and rabbits.

The Florida Python Challenge: Battling an Environmental Threat

Each year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) organizes the Python Challenge, an event designed to rally community efforts in eradicating this environmental threat. Certified hunters like Bayo and his wife are crucial to this collective effort, which marries ecological awareness with the chance for a lucrative reward.

On July 11, the Florida Python Challenge 2025 officially began. The event, which concluded this past Sunday, offered a prize pool of $25,000, aiming once again to eliminate this invasive threat to South Florida’s native wildlife. In addition to the $10,000 prize for the participant who captures the most pythons, there is also a $1,000 prize for the longest snake caught. All participants receive an official T-shirt, and many join in both for the prize and the goal of contributing to environmental conservation.

Impacts on the Everglades Ecosystem

Since 2000, authorities have removed approximately 23,500 pythons from the state, according to the FWC. Most of these snakes are concentrated in the Everglades National Park in Miami-Dade County, but their spread now extends from south of Lake Okeechobee to Key Largo, and from western Broward County to Collier County. Sightings have also been reported in Naples and areas near Lake Okeechobee. In July 2023, a 22-year-old captured a female python measuring 19 feet long and weighing 125 pounds in the Big Cypress National Preserve, marking the largest ever recorded in the state.

Strict Rules to Protect Native Species

The competition follows a set of rules aimed at safeguarding the ecosystem:

• The use of firearms and animals, such as dogs, to aid in hunting is prohibited.
• Participants will be disqualified if they kill native snakes or destroy eggs of indigenous species.
• Only professional hunters are allowed to transport live pythons. Novices must humanely euthanize them at the capture site.
• Correct species identification is crucial, as some Burmese pythons can be mistaken for protected native snakes.

Beyond the competition, organizers emphasize the educational value of the event, as it allows participants and the public to learn about the importance of preserving the ecological balance.

The Everglades span nearly four million acres and are home to more than 360 bird species, 300 fish species, 50 reptiles, and 40 mammals, among many other forms of life. Among its iconic species are the manatee, the Florida panther, the American crocodile, the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, and the Key Largo woodrat. By preying on native animals and occupying their ecological niche, Burmese pythons have contributed to the local decline of several species. FWC studies have detected severe impacts on native mammals and warn that these snakes also consume threatened or endangered species.