Department of Vertebrates
Herpetology Collection
AFRICAN ROCK PYTHON (Python sebae natalensis)
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The Genus that consists of nine species have some of the longest snakes measuring up to 10.5 metres. They are not as big in diameter as the Boas that have an exceeding girth and measure up to 9 metres in length. Some fossil records are however more impressive measuring up to 15 metres in length. The are usually light brown to grey brown with transverse blotches and dark bands alongside the body. The ventral side is white and spotted with black - brown colour. The adults measure up to 3 to 4 metres and a record of 6 metres has been measured. Pythons have no venom but use there body to strangle and suffocate there pray, they as not as fast moving on the ground as they are in water and usually ambush there pray. Human’s destroying there habitat and killing them for there skin has placed the species under great threat and they are know protected by Nature Conservation laws.
They prefer a more open savanna type habitat but have been founded in forest areas and is largely restricted to the north and north east areas of southern Africa, north Botswana and into northern Namibia and down the east coast of South Africa.
The female can lay from 30 to 50 eggs but 50 % of them may be infertile. The female guards the eggs and only leaves for short intervals which makes this species rather interesting as parenting is quite a foreign concept to reptiles.