The population of Burmese pythons in the Everglades has declined significantly, according to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. He attributed the reduction to a partnership with Inversa, a Miami-based company that produces clothing and accessories from python leather.

Burmese pythons have caused substantial damage to the ecosystem of South Florida since they became established there. Experts say the invasive snakes continue to expand their range northward.

The pythons are native to Southeast Asia, not Florida. They arrived through the exotic pet trade in the 1970s and 1980s. Some owners released them after they grew too large. A facility destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 also released an unknown number of snakes into the wild.

The python is well suited to the Florida environment. Adults can reach more than 18 feet in length. Their coloration blends effectively with forest floor vegetation. They can remain motionless for long periods while waiting for prey.

The python’s primary advantage has been that native animals have no evolutionary memory of it as a predator. Species such as raccoons, opossums, and marsh rabbits did not recognize the snake as a threat and did not avoid it.

Long-term surveys documented severe declines in native mammal populations in areas where pythons became established. Raccoon sightings fell by up to 99 percent. Opossum and bobcat populations saw similar drops. Marsh rabbits were eliminated from one study area within a year. In the most affected regions, mammal sightings declined by as much as 100 percent.

The Everglades serves as a major water purification system for millions of people in South Florida. The loss of mammals at the base of the food web has disrupted the ecological balance that keeps water moving and clean.

The state has responded with removal programs. Contracted hunters have been sent into the swamp to capture pythons. Wildlife agencies have removed thousands of snakes. One technique involves attaching radio transmitters to male pythons and releasing them during mating season so biologists can follow them to females.

The state also runs an annual python hunting competition. In a recent development, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission partnered with Inversa, and DeSantis said the number of removals has tripled.

The reproductive capacity of pythons has made control difficult. A single female can lay approximately 100 eggs per season.

In 2021, camera traps in Big Cypress National Preserve recorded something that had not been documented before. A bobcat approached the nest of a female python while the snake was absent and ate eggs from it. When the python returned and assumed a defensive position, the bobcat did not flee. The encounter was the first documented case of a Florida animal eating python eggs and the first recorded instance of a Burmese python actively defending its nest.

The bobcat returned to the nest over several days, learning the python’s patterns. Almost none of the remaining eggs hatched when biologists attempted to incubate them.

In 2025, a second documented case involved a bobcat linked to the death of a python twice its size. The snake weighed about 23 kilograms and the bobcat about 11 kilograms. A biologist who spent years studying the species described it as a rare and encouraging sign that a native animal had pushed back against an invasive predator.

The bobcat is not the only native species that has begun preying on pythons. Alligators attack pythons when they can, particularly smaller ones. Black bears have been linked to the deaths of male pythons found in the wild. Birds of prey take young snakes.

Biologists note that pythons have periods of vulnerability. After a large meal, their metabolism increases significantly and they become sluggish while digesting. During nesting, females remain wrapped around their eggs for weeks. During shedding, their eyes become clouded and their vision is reduced.

These windows create opportunities that learned predators can exploit. The documented behaviors suggest that some native species are beginning to recognize pythons as a food source rather than an unstoppable threat.

The declines in python sightings in certain areas remain modest. Estimates of the python population in South Florida still range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. Human removal programs remain necessary and are expected to continue.

Still, the documented cases mark a shift. After four decades of causing damage without resistance, pythons are now being killed by the ecosystem they invaded. Whether this will meaningfully reduce the overall population remains uncertain. The change is limited to specific areas and falls short of a solution to the broader problem. But it is a development that researchers are watching closely.