Burmese Python

Python bivittatus

RANGE Eastern India to southeastern Asia

HABITAT Open jungles, woodlands, grasslands, swamps, marshes, river valleys

DIET Mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds

Burmese pythons are excellent swimmers. They can stay submerged for up to 30 minutes before surfacing for air.

Burmese pythons swallow their prey whole. Their jaws separate enough to allow the snake to take in an animal four to five times as wide as its head. They use rear-pointing teeth to seize prey and subdue with constriction.

Native populations are considered threatened due to hunting for their skin and meat. They are an invasive species in the U.S.