Full Breakdown
Tom Rahill Wins 2026 Florida Python Challenge with Record Capture
8/14/2026, 2:40:39 AM
Core Event: Record Capture and Grand Prize
On the final night of the 2026 Florida Python Challenge, veteran hunter Tom Rahill and his partner Rahm Levinson used electric bicycles to reach a remote trail in Everglades National Park. There they located a large female Burmese python and a nest of eggs. The snake was officially measured by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at 16 feet, 5 inches. Rahill’s team removed 96 live hatchlings from the nest, securing the competition’s $10,000 grand prize for the highest total catch. Levinson received a $1,000 award for capturing the longest snake.
Background & Context
The Florida Python Challenge, launched in 2017, is an eight-day competition that allows licensed hunters to remove invasive Burmese pythons from designated wetlands. Participants this year came from 30 states, Canada and Vietnam, totaling 907 competitors.
Tom Rahill, a 69-year-old former IT entrepreneur, founded the nonprofit Swamp Apes in 2008. The organization pairs military veterans and first responders with outdoor therapy hunts.
Data & Statistics
- Total pythons removed in 2026 challenge: 280.
- Rahill’s share: 96 hatchlings, about 35 % of the total take.
- Second-place professional winner, Christina Kraus: 36 pythons.
- Longest snake captured: 16 ft 5 in (FWC measurement).
- Eggs in the nest: 98; hatchlings: 96 (two eggs failed to hatch).
- Cumulative removals since 2000: over 28,000 Burmese pythons.
Official Statements & Responses
“We don’t have a silver bullet. Our job is not done yet,” said a FWC spokesperson, underscoring the ongoing need for control efforts.
On-the-Ground Reports
Levinson described spotting the snake at about 10 p.m. on July 18, noting the animal initially appeared to be a 14-footer before the pair confirmed its larger size. An e-bike malfunction forced the duo to transport the haul by truck late at night.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The FWC’s official length of 16 ft 5 in differs from Rahill’s impression that the snake may have shrunk after being frozen, a claim he voiced but for which no independent measurement is provided.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I was only able to hunt the one full day. I was crooked, bent up, and it was days into the challenge, but I had been planning for months,” — Tom Rahill
- “If it took me three days to drag that carcass out of the Everglades, I was going to do it,” — Tom Rahill
- “We don’t have a silver bullet. Our job is not done yet,” — FWC Nonnative Fish
What’s Next
Rahill plans to expand Swamp Apes into a full-service facility with office space, a clinic, living quarters and a treatment center for veterans. The Florida Python Challenge will continue annually, with organizers expected to allow access to additional public lands in upcoming editions.
