black python morelia boeleni

[SteveNT]

How cool are these guys. From the New Guinea highlands, what a stunning snake!




I might have to move to New Guinea!

 

[Raddy318]

first 2 pics looks like a zebra cross a python! LOL! haha
nah but they are awsome

 

[Venomous1111]

Very nice snake, love the white patterning on the labial scales.

 

[longqi]

Steve you may actually have more luck finding them in the Indonesia side called Papua
Probably a bit safer to travel there too
We found 6 in 2 trips into a not really remote valley
[but we cheated a bit and used local snake catchers as guides]

 

[Sock Puppet]

I've been fascinated by this species for some time now. Would love to see one in the flesh one day, or even better, in the wild.

 

[CrystalMoon]

They are striking, very impressive thanx for sharing

 

[the_brad]

Are there any on display in oz?

 

[PMyers]

Apparently they are a very highly protected species in New Guinea... which is surprising... being New Guinea...

 

[-Katana-]

That is one wicked looking python.

Awesome stuff.

 

[cwebb]

sooo pretty!!

 

[XKiller]

I got to see one a few years ago at San Diego zoo they are a rely Amazing snake, nice size to.

 

[lexy1]

Did volunteer work at Gosford Reptile Park a few years ago they had a pair they killed one im not sured what happened to the other... They kept them the same as any other python... Correct me if im wrong but I thought they come from high alttitudes so might have liked there temps a little cooler ..... I did suggest this but they knew better...

 

[Jande]

Gorgeous snakes, would love to see one in the flesh. And that's really sad lexy1. So many cases of zoos and parks getting animals and killing them. I'm sure they don't intend to kill them but some research into what they're taking on to display wouldn't go astray.

 

[longqi]

fairly wide distribution area
not only in highlands but definitely more common there
youngsters arboreal but adults seldom climb
probably because of chunkiness of the body
built more like a fat adult olive than a morelia

most wild caughts that were exported died fairly quickly so mimicking natural environment of critical importance
most keepers dont understand how cold it gets in Papua at altitude
very few have been bred
2 people here have bred them once each and one guy in the mountains of Sumatra has reportedly done a lot better
yet 140 were exported in 2010 as captive bred from lowland farms?????

 

[lexy1]

Your exactly right Jande... When i was younger I did volunteer work in most of the parks and zoos around sydney... And saw wayyyyyy too many animals not cared for properly and no one cared (or there werent enough funds to care for them properly)... Since I was young all I wanted to do is work with reptiles I was even at Uni studying Science just so I could get a job at one of these parks and zoos after all my volunteer work I realised very quickly that is DEFINATELY not were i wanted to be!!! Not saying there all bad but the majority I went to werent the best...

Wow you know your stuff Longqi!! Looking forward to catching up and picking your brain??? Very interesting..

 

[Brodie]

Beautiful animals. We found 2 over 8 days in PNG. One of the only pythons I would bother keeping!

I know what you mean lexy. I volunteered in reptiles at wildlife park in Darwin. The reptiles section was small, but we had so me rare animals and they were all kept in great conditions.

WOW, was I disappointed when I came to Sydney and did some work at a couple of the more famous parks/zoos.

ARP was great though. Not prefect, but all of the animals were well cared for when i was there.

 

[SteveNT]

Beautiful animals. We found 2 over 8 days in PNG. One of the only pythons I would bother keeping!

I know what you mean lexy. I volunteered in reptiles at wildlife park in Darwin. The reptiles section was small, but we had so me rare animals and they were all kept in great conditions.

WOW, was I disappointed when I came to Sydney and did some work at a couple of the more famous parks/zoos.

ARP was great though. Not prefect, but all of the animals were well cared for when i was there.

Which park cobber?

 

[JoshMack96]

they look awesome