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.
