Case File: Python
Python bivittatus
Size: The Burmese python is one of the largest species of snakes on Earth. They can grow up to 5 meters long and weigh over 90 kilograms.
Colour: Burmese pythons are dark-coloured snakes with many brown blotches bordered in black down their back.
Distinctive Features: Burmese pythons have two distinct light brown lines running horizontally on the head and across each eye. Their bold colour patterns can be likened to a jigsaw puzzle or giraffe skin.
Behaviour: Burmese pythons can navigate on the ground, up trees and through water – happily able to swim for up to half an hour. They hunt medium to large mammals and bird and subdue their prey by constriction until suffocation, before swallowing their food whole.
Last Seen: In the past 20 years, seven (7) Burmese pythons have been detected in Victoria.
Facts & How You Can Help
The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is native to a large area of Southeast Asia.
Burmese pythons are prohibited pest animals under the Victorian Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. This classification means importing, keeping, breeding, or trading Burmese pythons without the appropriate permits is illegal. The maximum penalty for importing, keeping, releasing, or selling a prohibited pest animal is approximately $76,000.
While Burmese pythons are not native to Australia, these snakes are sporadically detected and seized from the illegal pet trade in Victoria, where they are selectively bred and traded on the black market. Burmese pythons found in Victoria are most likely escapees or deliberately released animals from the illegal pet trade. Unfortunately, escapees or deliberately released snakes can be tricky and costly to recover.
The consequences of illegally keeping Burmese pythons must be addressed. Despite their poor eyesight, Burmese pythons sit at the top of the food chain with no predators. If given the opportunity, Burmese pythons can populate a wide range of landscapes within Victoria, potentially introducing new animal diseases like the Inclusion Body Disease, which is fatal to native Australian pythons. A Burmese python’s potential impact on native wildlife is far-reaching, as the introduction of Burmese pythons in Florida has been linked to severe biodiversity declines in the world-renowned Everglades National Park.
If you see any suspicious activity involving the potential importing, keeping, breeding, trading, or release of Burmese pythons in Victoria, you can contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1800 333 000 or via our website.
Please Note: You should never attempt to approach or handle a snake in the wild.
If you are bitten by a snake, dial 000 immediately