Conservation status:       Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)

Scientific classification:

·         Kingdom:             Animalia

·         Phylum:               Chordata

·         Class:                     Reptilia

·         Order:                   Squamata

·         Suborder:            Serpentes

·         Family:                  Pythonidae

·         Genus:                 Python

·         Species:               P. bivittatus

These python species are among top 5 largest snake species of the world in term of body length. They are native to a large area of tropical South and Southeast Asia. These species are often found near water and are sometimes semi-aquatic, but can also be found in trees. Wild individuals average 3.7 m (12.1 ft) long, [4][5] but have been known to reach 5.74 m (18.8 ft). These pythons are excellent swimmers and need a permanent source of water. They can be found in grasslands, marshes, swamps, rocky foothills, woodlands, river valleys, and jungles with open clearings. They are good climbers and have prehensile tails. Around chitwan national park these pythons are abundant in number and usually enter the village in search of food. Their favorite food is chicken, cats, dogs and small birds.

The python is usually dark colored with brown patches on the back and look somewhat similar to giraffe in skin composition. Burmese pythons are found throughout Southern and Southeast Asia, including eastern India, southeastern Nepal, western Bhutan, southeastern Bangladesh, Myanmar. Burmese pythons are mainly nocturnal rainforest dwellers. When young, they are equally at home on the ground and in trees, but as they gain girth, they tend to restrict most of their movements to the ground.

These pythons are carnivorous in nature and diet consists mainly of small sized birds and mammals. Since they are non-venomous type, they don’t have poison gland. It wraps its body around the prey, at the same time contracting its muscles, killing the prey by constriction.