The National Zoo and Aquarium has a (tiny) new slithering resident.
The yet-to-be-named baby reticulated python was born on November 5 2024 and weighs just 250 grams.
The National Zoo acquired the male snake from Melbourne Zoo to join other reptiles as an ambassador species.
It comes as we celebrate World Snake Day, held on 16 July, dedicated to the appreciation of the diversity, beauty and ecological importance of snakes.
Reticulated pythons are the longest snakes on earth, with a length of up to 6.5 metres and a maximum weight of 75 kilograms.
Zookeeper Ben Lamb said the snake would grow a few feet in the next 12 months but would take a few years to have a “massive growth spurt”.
“This species, while most individuals might attain a length of about 5 metres, there are extreme cases of them going over seven, even eight metres,” he said.
“Time will tell if our little one really breaks those big records, but we love them all the same. He’s still going to be one truly giant snake.”
Currently only able to be viewed on behind the scenes tours, the snake will be put on display when it becomes a “decent” size.
Mr Lamb told CD that reticulated pythons were an interesting species.
“The species has recently been divided into a few subspecies,” he said.
“Along the island of Indonesia, there are known to be some dwarf populations, which are present in captivity here in Australia, though the species is only kept at zoos and wildlife parks.
“They are a great species for visitors to come and see, to see the world’s longest snake.
“It’s important to distinguish that they aren’t the world’s heaviest, that title goes to one of our other species, our green anaconda.”
He told CD the identifying features were its colour – yellow, silvers, blacks and browns, the x-patterns down their dorsals, and orange eyes.
“They’re built to camouflage in the forest floors of South East Asia,” Mr Lamb said.
“They’ve got these patterns that almost resemble the dappled light across the forest floor presenting in some of the vegetation that you would find in tropical South East Asia.”
The zoo also has a 24-year-old adult reticulated python, Robbo, who has been raised at the National Zoo since it was a hatchling.
Animal Care Manager Sophie Dentrinos said there were nine different species of snakes endemic to Canberra.
“It’s really important that we understand and preserve their environment for them,” she said.
“They do have a bad reputation, but snakes just want to be left alone to do their own thing.”
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