When a district in Florida used robot rabbits to eliminate growing population of Burmese pythons and protect Everglades |
Florida used an unusual tool to control the growing population of invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades: solar-powered robot rabbits. In 2025, the South Florida Water Management District and the University of Florida teamed up to deploy robotic rabbit decoys designed to mimic real prey and lure pythons out of hiding using artificial intelligence (AI), heat signatures and scent simulation.The robots are part of Florida’s broader effort to remove Burmese pythons, which have disrupted native wildlife populations across the state. The devices use AI-powered cameras to detect approaching snakes and alert officials, who can then send trained python removal agents to capture and remove them. The technology is being used alongside the annual Florida Python Challenge and other removal programmes, not replacing them.
How Florida’s AI-powered robot rabbits work
The solar-powered robots are designed to imitate prey that Burmese pythons hunt. They produce a heat signature and emit a scent intended to attract the snakes, which use thermal sensing and smell while hunting. Each robot has an AI-powered camera that monitors the surrounding area. When it detects a python approaching, the system alerts South Florida Water Management District officials. A trained python removal agent can then be dispatched to the location.The district and University of Florida are deploying the robots at sites across South Florida where pythons are known to hide. The approach is intended to help monitor areas that can be difficult to survey using conventional methods.“These innovative robots produce a heat signature and emit a smell designed to attract pythons. The robots are equipped with cameras that monitor for pythons and notify District officials when a snake is detected. Once notified, the District can dispatch a python removal agent to the area,” the district noted.
Why Florida is targeting Burmese pythons
Burmese pythons were introduced into the Everglades during the 1970s and have since become an invasive predator in Florida. Researchers estimate that between 100,000 and 300,000 Burmese pythons are present across the state’s subtropical regions. The snakes can grow longer than 18 feet, and adult females can lay more than 70 eggs in a single clutch. Their presence has affected native mammals, birds and reptiles, reducing available prey for species including Florida panthers, bobcats and birds of prey.A 2012 US Geological Survey study found that raccoon and opossum populations in parts of the Everglades had declined by nearly 99% following the spread of Burmese pythons.
Florida Python Challenge adds to python removal efforts
Florida has also relied on trained contractors and public participation to remove Burmese pythons. The annual Florida Python Challenge brings professional and amateur hunters together for a 10-day competition, and participants must complete a safety course before taking part. In the 2026 challenge, 907 participants from 30 states, as well as Vietnam and Canada, collectively removed 280 Burmese pythons. The competition’s overall tally has now exceeded 1,600 snakes.Tom Rahill won the $10,000 grand prize after removing 96 snakes, while Rahm Levinson received $1,000 for capturing the longest python, measuring 16 feet, five inches. Additional prizes were awarded across professional, novice and military categories.“The number of invasive pythons removed from the Everglades during the 2026 Florida Python Challenge is a major victory for Florida’s native wildlife and a testament to what can be accomplished through strong partnerships and public participation,” FWC chairman Rodney Barreto said in a statement.Since 2017, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and South Florida Water Management District contractors have removed more than 19,000 snakes. The district’s robotic rabbit programme is intended to add another method to those ongoing efforts.
