STUART, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference in Stuart on Tuesday where he outlined the state’s efforts to remove invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades.
Introduced through the exotic pet trade and released into the wild decades ago, the large snakes have become a major threat to native wildlife and the balance of the ecosystem.
The governor highlighted the state’s commitment to restoring the Everglades, noting nearly $8 billion invested in restoration and water quality projects during his administration. However, DeSantis pointed out that restoring water flow alone is not enough to protect the ecosystem.
“This is an apex predator right here. It threatens the survival of many endangered species,” said DeSantis. “A single female python can weigh up to 100 eggs at a time, and they have no natural predators in the Florida Everglades. So their population has exploded.”
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Since 2019, the state has taken unprecedented action to remove pythons. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) expanded python removal efforts to state parks, federal lands, and private properties. The annual Florida Python Challenge offers cash prizes to encourage hunters to remove these snakes.
To boost results, the state partnered with Miami-based company Inversa Leathers, which specializes in ethical removal of invasive species and markets products made from python skins, such as wallets, boots, belts, and even sports equipment.
According to DeSantis, the public-private partnership has tripled python removals since May 2025, with 748 snakes removed in July alone—more than the entire previous year before the partnership.
FWC’s management workload has decreased by 89%, allowing biologists to focus on science and policy. Hunters are also paid about 60% more per snake.
“We want to work with the Florida legislature to make sure that this funding stays in place, so that we continue to do what needs to be done to rid the Everglades of this invasive species,” DeSantis said.