Florida has implemented contractor-based removal programs, including the Python Action Team Removing Invasive Constrictors (PATRIC) and the South Florida Water Management District’s Python Elimination Program (PEP), operating together to remove nonnative constrictors.

PATRIC contractors are experienced and commonly remove more than 30 pythons per year, and the programs recruit hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts with relevant experience.

The Python Elimination Program hires removal agents to lands across South Florida, covering Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier, Hendry, Lee, and Palm Beach counties, with pay tiers from $14 to $30 per hour and a 10-hour daily expectation.

Key Largo hatchling sightings in 2016 raised concerns about local reproduction and the potential expansion of the python range, threatening island wildlife like the Key Largo woodrat and Key Largo cotton mouse.

The largest female python captured weighed 153 pounds and measured 17 feet; average female captures were about 95 pounds, with remains of deer found in some snakes indicating a broader diet.

Removing breeding females is aimed at reducing future egg production and predation pressure, extending benefits beyond individual captures.

Researchers deploy about 40 male scout snakes fitted with radio transmitters to locate breeding females and enable targeted captures.

A new satellite population has been identified in western Charlotte County, north of Naples and Fort Myers, indicating expansion beyond prior ranges.

This newly identified satellite population underscores ongoing expansion of Burmese pythons in southwest Florida.

USGS is developing population models using removal data to better estimate abundance and evaluate control program effectiveness rather than relying solely on removal totals.

Cumulative python removals through June 2026 total 1,750 snakes weighing over 53,000 pounds since 2013, but true population reductions remain uncertain due to detection challenges.

Historical data show sharp declines in mammal sightings in Everglades National Park after python expansion, including raccoon, opossum, and bobcat, with no rabbits or foxes recorded in later surveys.