English: It is the fifth largest, nonvenomous python species native to tropical regions of Southeast Asia. Known by the common names, black-tailed python & Asian rock python.

Generally lighter colored than the Burmese python, light green with large irregular spots on its back. The sides & head have an inverted-Y pattern over a pink background. Head has a black pattern like a spear tip that starts at the neck and ends at the nose & reaches usually 3-6 m (10-20 ft).

Facts 1. The Color pattern is whitish or yellowish with the blotched patterns varying from tan to dark brown shades. This varies with terrain & habitat. 2. The longest scientifically recorded specimen, collected in Pakistan, was 4.6 m (15 ft) long & weighed 52 kg (110 lb). 3. Lethargic & slow even in their native habitat, they exhibit timidity & rarely try to attack even when attacked. They are excellent swimmers & quite at home in water. They can be wholly submerged in water for many minutes if necessary. 4. The snake hunts slowly by advancing with a quivering tail & lunges with an open mouth. Live prey is constricted & killed. One or two coils are used to hold it in a tight grip. The prey, unable to breathe, succumbs & is subsequently swallowed head first. 5. After a heavy meal, python may fast for weeks, the longest recorded duration being 2 years. The python can swallow prey bigger than its diameter because the jaw bones are not connected. Prey cannot escape from its mouth because of the arrangement of the teeth (which are reverse saw-like). 6. Females are being longer & heavier than males, up to 100 eggs are laid by a female. 7. In popular Culture; Kaa, a large & young Indian python, is featured in The Jungle Book. Specs: Scientific name: Python molurus (Greek “molouros” some kind of snake, the identity of which is uncertain) Family: Pythonidae Class: Reptile Length: 3-6.4m / 10-21ft max Weight: 50-90 kg Lifespan: 10-20 years approx Diet: Carnivores; feed on small mammals, birds, reptiles & their eggs Habitat: India, Southern Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh & probably in the north of Myanmar

IUCN Status: Red List (Threatened)