Burmese python

Python bivittatus

Irish Name: Píotón Burmach
IUCN Status: Vulnerable

The Burmese python is a large snake that is tan in colour and has dark brown patches along its body. It is one of the world’s largest snakes and can grow six metres long. The Burmese python is a constrictor snake, meaning that it kills its prey by tightly wrapping itself around it. It is an excellent climber and swimmer.

Burmese python

Python bivittatus

Irish Name: Píotón Burmach
IUCN Status: Vulnerable

The Burmese python is a large snake that is tan in colour and has dark brown patches along its body. It is one of the world’s largest snakes and can grow six metres long. The Burmese python is a constrictor snake, meaning that it kills its prey by tightly wrapping itself around it. It is an excellent climber and swimmer.

General Information

Where do they live? (Natural habitat)

Burmese pythons are native to Southeast Asia. They live in a variety of habitats, including tropical forests, mangrove (tropical trees found near water, usually saltwater) forests, grasslands, caves, rivers and swamps. When they are young, they spend time in the trees and on the ground. As they get older, they mostly stay on the ground.

How long do they live?

Burmese pythons live 15-25 years in zoos. Their lifespan in the wild is unknown.

What do they eat?

Burmese pythons are carnivores (meat-eaters). They kill their prey through constriction (tightly wrapping themselves around prey). They eat birds, reptiles and small mammals such as rats, mice, pigs and goats.

Closest related species/sister species

The closest relative of the Burmese python is the Indian python, of which it was previously considered a subspecies.

Zoo location

Zoorassic World

Group name

Burmese pythons are solitary (live alone) and do not have a group name.

Animal Class

Reptilia

Animal Order

Squamata

Fun Facts

Big snacks

A Burmese python can eat prey that is 50-100 % of its body size.

Big jaw

Burmese pythons have stretchy ligaments in their jaws that allow them to swallow animals much bigger than their heads.

Arrival to Florida

A large number of Burmese pythons are now found in Florida, USA. The Burmese python likely first arrived in Florida as part of the exotic pet trade. Over time, they made their way into the Everglades in Florida due to deliberate releases from owners who could no longer take care of them or by accidentally escaping from their owners’ homes. It is estimated that 1,000 pythons escaped from a python breeder’s facility in Florida during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. This has led to significant population declines of native animals like raccoons, possums, rabbits, coyotes and birds. As a result, Burmese pythons are considered an invasive species in this area.

Smell

Burmese pythons detect scents with their tongues, which they flick out to do so. Their tongues are forked, allowing them to tell what direction scents are coming from.

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Family Life

Burmese pythons are solitary animals (live alone) and generally only meet during the breeding season. Females lay clutches of up to 100 eggs, which they incubate for two to three months. To keep their eggs warm, they continually contract their muscles (or shiver).

Baby Name

Snakelet

Gestation period

2-3 months (egg incubation period)

Number of young at birth

Approximately 50-100 eggs per clutch

Age at maturity

2-3 years

Size adult

5-6 m in length, up to 90 kg in weight

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Conservation

Vulnerable

Burmese pythons are classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as their population in their native range in Asia is decreasing.

Threats

The main threat faced by Burmese pythons is poaching (illegal hunting). They are hunted for their skins, as food and for the illegal pet trade. Habitat loss due to agriculture also poses a threat to the python by eliminating its prey and leaving it more vulnerable to capture by humans.

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FAQs

  • What do Burmese pythons eat?

    Burmese pythons are carnivores. They kill their prey using constriction (tightly wrapping themselves around prey). They mostly eat birds, reptiles and mammals such as rats, mice, pigs and goats.

  • How big do Burmese pythons get?

    Burmese pythons can grow 5-6 m in length and weigh up to 90 kg. They are among the largest snakes on earth.

  • Where are Burmese pythons from?

    Burmese pythons are native to Southeast Asia. They live in a variety of habitats, including tropical forests, mangrove forests, grasslands, caves, rivers and swamps. They have also established themselves as an invasive species in the Florida Everglades.

  • Are Burmese pythons venomous?

    Pythons are not venomous.

  • How long do Burmese pythons live?

    Burmese pythons live 15-25 years in zoos. Their lifespan in the wild is unknown.

  • How does the Burmese python affect the ecosystem of its introduced habitat in the Everglades, Florida?

    Burmese pythons are considered an invasive species in the Everglades. Their introduction to this area has led to significant population declines of a number of native animals that they prey on. These include raccoons, opossums, birds and rabbits.

  • How did the Burmese python get to America?

    Burmese pythons likely first arrived in Florida as part of the exotic pet trade. Over time, they made their way into the Everglades in Florida due to deliberate releases from owners who could no longer take care of them or by accidentally escaping from their owners’ homes. It is believed that around 1,000 pythons escaped from a python breeder’s facility in Florida during Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

  • How often does a Burmese python eat?

    Burmese pythons usually feed every 1-2 months, but they can go without food for several months.

  • Are Burmese pythons endangered?

    Burmese pythons are classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as their population is decreasing in their native range in Asia.

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