Bring a python, get a pizza: A Florida restaurant is giving away free 'python pizza' if you bring a Burmese python caught in the Everglades

Published 15 July 2026 · us

Florida restaurant launches unusual 'python pizza' giveaway Florida Python Challenge offers cash prizes of up to $10,000 Why Burmese pythons have become one of Florida's

Florida restaurant launches unusual 'python pizza' giveaway Florida Python Challenge offers cash prizes of up to $10,000 Why Burmese pythons have become one of Florida's biggest invasive threats Every part of the snake is put to use A creative way to support Everglades conservation A Florida restaurant has launched one of the country's most unusual food promotions, offering customers a free 'python pizza' if they bring in an invasive Burmese python captured during the 2026 Florida Python Challenge. The giveaway, introduced by Wildman's Pizza in Everglades City, is designed to support efforts to remove the destructive snakes from the Everglades, where they have caused significant damage to native wildlife. Although health regulations prevent the restaurant from selling pizza made with python meat, it can legally give it away free of charge. The initiative combines conservation with culinary curiosity, turning one of Florida's biggest environmental challenges into a unique public awareness campaign.Wildman's Pizza is rewarding participants in the Florida Python Challenge with a complimentary python pizza if they bring in a qualifying Burmese python caught during the annual event.

The promotion has quickly gained attention for its unusual concept, but its goal extends beyond attracting customers. By encouraging hunters to remove invasive snakes from the Everglades, the restaurant hopes to raise awareness about the ecological threat posed by the species while supporting one of Florida's largest conservation initiatives.The restaurant says it cannot commercially sell python-based pizza because of food regulations. Instead, it prepares the speciality pizzas exclusively as a free giveaway for eligible participants, making the promotion both legal and environmentally focused.The promotion coincides with the 2026 Florida Python Challenge, which runs from July 10 to July 19. Organised by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and conservation partners, the annual competition encourages the public to help control the spread of invasive Burmese pythons across South Florida.Participants must register, complete an online training course and follow strict guidelines for the humane capture and euthanasia of the snakes. Cash prizes of up to $10,000 are awarded to participants who remove the most pythons or capture particularly large specimens, while the event also serves to educate people about invasive species management and Everglades conservation.Native to Southeast Asia, Burmese pythons became established in Florida after escaped or intentionally released pet snakes began breeding in the wild several decades ago.