Species · GBIF taxon 4820533
Python bivittatus
python bivittatusAlso known as Burmese Python
Burmese pythons are among the largest snakes on Earth, recognizable by their beautifully patterned, giraffe-like blotches. These excellent swimmers and climbers spend much of their lives near water, hunting a wide variety of birds and mammals. While vulnerable and declining in their native Southeast Asian forests, they have established a highly destructive invasive population in the Florida Everglades.
NocturnalConstrictorSolitary
- diet
- Carnivorous (mammals, birds, and reptiles)
- family
- Pythonidae
- threats
- Habitat destruction and hunting in native range; eradication efforts in invasive range
- life Span
- 15 to 25 years
VU
Large constrictors can deliver severe defensive bites; maintain a safe distance and do not handle.
Capable of inflicting deep lacerations with backward-curving teeth and can overpower handlers through constriction.
Do not attempt to capture or handle wild individuals; contact professional wildlife services immediately.Vulnerable in its native Southeast Asian range due to habitat loss and hunting for the leather trade.
Support conservation efforts that protect native wetlands and discourage the illegal wildlife trade.- Observe from afar: Never approach a wild python closely, as they can strike rapidly when threatened.
- Report sightings: Document and report any sightings in Florida to local wildlife conservation authorities.
- Watch the water: Scan slow-moving water and canal banks where they often lie submerged.