Green Tree Python

ANIMAL:
Green Tree Python             Morelia viridis

Type of Animal:
Boa/Python

Habitat:
Forest, bush, shrubland, tall grassland, swamps, cultivated lands, forest edge

Location(s):
Indonesian islands of Misool, Salawati, Aru Islands, & Schouten Islands, New Guinea & nearby islands, E coast of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Introduced in Florida.

Appearance:
Australian type green w/ white scales down dorsal line, hatchlings yellow w/ brown markings. Aru type mossy green or even bluey-green, white scale clusters along dorsal lines along w/ scattered white scales over sides, hatchlings yellow w/ brown markings. Biak type olive green w/ yellow blotches, prominent nostrils, long snout, hatchlings yellow w/ red-brown markings or red w/ white markings. Sorong type green w/ blue dorsal line w/ blue triangular patterns, hatchlings red or yellow w/ dark stripe along dorsal line. Jayapura type green to olive-green w/ light blue dorsal pattern, hatchlings yellow w/ red stripe or maroon w/ white spots. Other morphs also occur only in captivity. All types fairly large head & large angular snout. Males more slender than females.

Food/Diet:
Small mammals, birds, lizards, smaller snakes, invertebrates

Status in Wild:
Stable

Conservation:
Breeding from zoos, aquariums, & breeders

Lifestyle:
Solitary

Called:
Male
Female
Young-Snakelet
Group-Solitary

Weight:
Male-2.4-3.1 lbs
Female-3.5 lbs
Young-1 lb

Gestation:
2 months 

Life Span:
15-25 years

Body Length:
Male-4 ft
Female-6 ft
Young-2 ft

Tail Length:
Male-6.72 in
Female-10 in
Young-3.36 in

Main predators are raptors, butcherbirds, mangrove monitors, dingoes, singing dogs, & quolls.

Like other pythons, they squeeze their prey & swallow it whole.

Females lay 1-30 eggs per clutch.

Young turn green at 6-8 months & reach sexual maturity at 2 years.

Potential threats include pet trade, logging, & hunting for meat/skin. However, populations stable.

Many indigenous people use these snakes as food source.

Fun Fact(s):
Great example of parallel evolution-Emerald Tree Boas of S America look & behave very similar. However, emerald tree boas give birth to live young.

These pythons tend to be shy & sometimes defensive.

They lure prey by wiggling the very end of their tail.

Females sometimes aggressively protect eggs.

Sometimes known as chondros due to formerly being placed in own genus Chondropython.