The 2026 Florida Python Challenge concluded with significant removals of the invasive Burmese python, highlighted by the capture of a 16-foot, 5-inch specimen by Rahm Levinson and an impressive haul of 96 hatchlings by Tom Rahill. The annual event, designed to control the non-native species decimating South Florida's small mammal and ground-nesting bird populations, saw nearly 300 pythons removed in July alone. Levinson and Rahill, veteran snake catchers licensed by the state, made their pivotal catches on July 18, the challenge's final night, deep within Everglades National Park.
Levinson and Rahill were navigating an overgrown trail on e-bikes around 10 p.m., specifically searching for invasive pythons. Levinson spotted a large snake coiled in the brush, initially estimating it to be around 14 feet. After strategizing, the two men engaged the reptile. Levinson recounted grabbing the snake by the tail, with Rahill securing its body, before they "wrangled it for a long while" to bag it. The capture secured Levinson the $1,000 award for the longest snake of the competition, with the official measurement confirming its formidable length.
Moments after securing the giant python, Rahill discovered a substantial nest at the capture site. The nest contained 98 python eggs, with hatchlings actively emerging. Rahill swiftly collected 96 live hatchlings as they emerged from their eggs, preventing them from dispersing into the Everglades. This extensive removal of young pythons earned Rahill the top prize of $10,000 for capturing the most Burmese pythons during the eight-day event.
Both Levinson and Rahill are members of SwampApes, a Broward County group founded by Rahill. This organization engages military veterans with PTSD in python removal efforts as a form of outdoor therapy, alongside its primary mission of managing the invasive snake population. The 2026 challenge notably expanded access for hunters into Everglades National Park, an area where Levinson and Rahill secured their significant catches. Other accessible areas included Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area and Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area, among others.
Since its inception in 2017, the Florida Python Challenge has facilitated the removal of over 1,600 pythons. Levinson, who has five years of experience in python hunting and typically removes 20 to 25 annually, noted the 16-footer as his largest to date, though he has encountered 14 and 15-foot specimens previously. He added that many more large pythons remain a pervasive threat to Florida's delicate ecosystem, emphasizing the ongoing nature of these conservation efforts.
