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Status: Low risk - near threatened. On CITES Appendix II. Diet in wild: Birds and mammals. Life span in captivity: 20 to 25 years typically. Longest lived on record was 28 years 3 months. Size: 15 to 20 feet and up to 200 pounds. Native habitat: Southeast Asia except the Philippines, including parts of China, Indochina, and Burma.
Black Pine Animal Park 1426 W. 300 N. P.O. Box 02 Albion, IN 46701 (260) 636-7383
©2008
Professional Animal Retirement Center, Inc.
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Burmese Python One of the world's six largest snakes is this species, the Burmese python. It is native to a region spanning from Southeast Asia to northeastern India, and into southern China, as well as some islands in the East Indies.
"Kamar", the snake residing at Black Pine Animal Park, is one of thousands upon thousands of this species of snake kept as a captive pet. He was well-cared for by a single owner for ten years before coming to the sanctuary. However, he outgrew his owner's accommodations. Measuring at about 11 feet in length, Kamar might grow to as large as 20 feet long, and could weigh up to 200 pounds when full grown. Currently, he is estimated to weigh about 50 pounds. Though no one is certain how long Burmese pythons can live in the wild, it is common for them to live as many as 25 years in captivity. The pet trade and fashion industry have taken a terrible toll on the wild populations, putting the Burmese pythons on the CITES Appendix II as a near-threatened species. Increasing regulations in the U.S. are also beginning to restrict ownership because so many are purchased by people ill prepared to properly care of them, or prevent injury. Large adult Burmese pythons have been reported to have killed or injured their keepers on occasion. To learn more about keeping animals like these as pets, click here. |
The Animals
Pythons
are constrictors, not poisonous. They kill their prey by striking
first, then coiling up tight around it to suffocate it. Burmese
pythons have a hinged jaw that enables them to swallow large prey whole,
eating about once a week in the wild. In captivity, they typically
eat rodents or rabbits, and feeding is less frequent.