African Rock Python
The African Rock Python is a large, constricting snake that lives in sub-Saharan
Africa. The adult African Rock Python's main predator is man; it is killed for its
beautiful skin, meat, and fat (used in tribal medicines). Other predators include
crocodiles, badgers, and mongooses. The scientific name of the African Rock Python
is Python sebae sebae (Genus, species, and subspecies).
Anatomy: Like all snakes, pythons are cold-blooded; they are the same temperature
as the environment. They continue to grow all their lives, getting bigger and bigger
each year. African Rock Python average 18 to 20 feet long, but can grow up to 28
feet (8.5 m) long. Their scaly skin glistens but is dry is to the touch. African Rock
Pythons are tan with brown spots that have black outlines. A tan V-shape marks the
face. The python smells using its tongue. This snake has no fangs. It uses heatsensing organs in its upper and lower jaws to detect warm-blooded prey (like
mammals).
Hunting and Diet: Pythons are carnivores (meat-eaters). Pythons are not
venomous, they kill by constricting (squeezing) the prey it until it can no longer
breathe. Like all snakes, they swallow the prey whole, headfirst. The python's top
and bottom jaws are attached to each other with stretchy ligaments, which let the
snake swallow animals wider, that itself. Snakes don't chew their food; very strong
acids in the snake’s stomach digest it. The African Rock Python eats monkeys, pigs,
deer, small apes, birds, and other animals. After eating a large animal, the python
needs no food for a long time, and may rest for weeks. In this engorged state, it is
most vulnerable to attack by predators.
Reproduction: Female pythons lay up to 75 eggs
Classifcation: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia, Order Squamata
(lizards and snakes), Suborder Serpentes, Family Boidae (constrictors), Genus
Python.