The Conservancy of Southwest Florida completed its first "four-ton" removal season, capturing a record 177 Burmese pythons weighing a total of 8,080 pounds across a 200-square-mile area from November 2025 to April 2026. Led by Ian Bartoszek, the team used tagged male "scout snakes" to find breeding females before they laid eggs. The average female this season weighed about 95 pounds and carried roughly 70 eggs; the program has now removed about 1,750 pythons totaling over 53,000 pounds. Conservationists say targeted removals can help native wildlife recover and restore local ecosystems.
Florida Team Records First 'Four-Ton' Season, Removes Record 177 Burmese Pythons
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Southwest Florida's long-running battle against invasive Burmese pythons reached a notable milestone this season: a Naples-based conservation team removed a record number of snakes before newly laid eggs could hatch.
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida says its crew captured 177 pythons weighing a combined 8,080 pounds across roughly a 200-square-mile area between November 2025 and April 2026 — the program's first-ever "four-ton" season (4 tons ≈ 8,000 pounds), according to USA Today.
What the Team Found
Led by biologist and program manager Ian Bartoszek, the Conservancy's effort pulled in the most pythons since the group began systematic tracking and removal work in 2013. The average female taken this season weighed about 95 pounds and carried roughly 70 eggs. The largest snake measured 17 feet and weighed 153 pounds.
To locate breeding females before eggs were laid, the team deployed tagged male "scout snakes" that helped them find females deep in the landscape — a tactic credited with improving removal timing and effectiveness.
Broader Impact
Since the Conservancy began its program, staff have removed about 1,750 pythons totaling more than 53,000 pounds. Burmese pythons have been linked to steep declines in many native species in and around the Everglades; hunters, hikers and researchers have reported quieter wetlands and fewer deer, rabbits, birds, bobcats and foxes.
Conservationists say targeted removals and efforts to slow python reproduction can give native wildlife a better chance to recover and help restore ecosystems that support recreation, tourism and scientific research in the region.
Why it matters: Removing large breeding females before eggs hatch reduces future generations of invasive snakes and can help stabilize native wildlife populations over time.
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