Animal Directory Featured species in the planned Reptile & Nocturnal House habitat
Photo: Rushenb CC BY-SA 2.0 Wikimedia Commons
Reticulated Python
Malayopython reticulatus
Young Explorer Notes
Three quick things to know about the Reticulated Python.
- Superpower
The longest snake in the world — verified individuals have measured over 6.25 metres, and unverified historical repor…
- Home
A cool, moonlit world for reptiles and night hunters.
- How to help
Doing great in the wild!
Scientists say this species is safe for now. We still learn about them to keep it that way.
Fun facts for everyone
- The longest snake in the world — verified individuals have measured over 6.25 metres, and unverified historical reports go past 9 metres.
- A non-venomous constrictor; it kills by coiling and stopping blood flow to the brain, not by suffocation as long believed.
- The "reticulated" pattern is a geometric net of black, gold, and olive that breaks the snake's silhouette in dappled forest light.
- Excellent swimmer — colonised many small islands across Southeast Asia by crossing open ocean between them.
- IUCN lists the species as Least Concern, though heavy harvesting for the skin trade pressures local populations.
From the master plan
The Reticulated Python is the headline resident of the planned Reptile & Nocturnal House’s Serpent Tunnel — a glass-enclosed walk-through that brings guests within centimetres of the world’s longest snake, lit so the hypnotic reticulated pattern reads even in low light.
IUCN status sourced from the Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus) assessment (Stuart et al., 2018) on the IUCN Red List — listed as Least Concern despite intensive commercial harvest in parts of its range.
Find them in
Reptile & Nocturnal House
A mysterious indoor world of scales, stealth and after-dark discovery
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