Central African Rock Python

ANIMAL:
Central African Rock Python Python sebae

Type of Animal:
Boa/Python

Habitat:
Savanna, grassland, woodland, forest, rocky areas, semi-desert, swamps, rivers, lakes, forest edge

Location(s):
W, C, & E Africa. Introduced species in S. Florida.

Appearance:
Thick-bodied, brownish snake w/ olive to tan to yellow to chestnut blotching. Female longer & heavier than male. 

Food/Diet:
Primates, pygmy hippos, pigs, lizards including monitors, fish, small & medium-sized antelope plus calves & smaller females of large species, goats, rodents, hares, rabbits, canids, small & medium-sized felids plus cubs of larger felids, birds, bats, other snakes including smaller pythons & venomous snakes, mongooses, civets, hyraxes, badgers, pangolins, & even crocodiles, wild dogs, & hyenas (last 3 in fights to death w/ whoever dies 1st being eaten). Humans have been eaten on rare occasions.

Status in Wild:
Stable

Conservation:
Breeding in zoos & reptile parks. Bred for reptile hobby, skin, & meat.

Lifestyle:
Solitary

Additional Info:

Called:
Male
Female
Young-Snakelet
Group-Solitary

Weight:
Male-100-120 lbs
Female-120-200 lbs
Young-10 lbs

Gestation:
2-2.5 months

Body Length:
Male-11-15 ft
Female-15-20 ft
Young-2-3 ft

Life Span: 
20-25 years

Tail Length:
2 ft

Main predators of adults are lions, hyenas, wild dogs, leopards, Nile crocodiles, & West African crocodiles. In case of crocs, hyenas, & wild dogs, predator & python fight to death w/ whoever dies first getting eaten. Honey badgers, caracals, servals, & slender-snouted crocs prey on smaller males & hatchlings (sometimes very hungry female will eat much smaller male), while mongooses, pigs, & dwarf crocs only eat hatchlings.

They usually lay eggs in abandoned burrow, termite mound, or cave.

Sexually mature at 3 years old.

Female lays 20-50, as many as 100 eggs each breeding season & incubates for 2-3 months.

Like all reptiles, they’re cold-blooded.

4th largest snake in the world & largest snake in Africa.

Prey killed by constricting & suffocating, then swallowing it whole.

Both sexes fast during breeding season, w/ females continuing until the eggs hatch.

After hatching, young have to fend for themselves. Some hatchlings stay w/ mom for up to a week.

Fun Fact(s):
These snakes often extremely aggressive, especially when feeding/hungry or cornered. 

Often only eats once or twice a month. Might not eat for 6 months or even a year after very large meal.
 

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