CHILDREN'S PYTHON
Antaresia childreni
DESCRIPTION
The Children’s Python is a small, non-venomous python native to northern Australia. It is usually brown to reddish-brown with darker blotches along its body. Its colouring provides excellent camouflage against rocks, leaf litter and vegetation.
WHERE IT LIVES
Children’s Pythons are found across northern Australia, including the Northern Territory. They live in a variety of habitats including open woodland, rocky country and areas with caves and crevices. They are mostly active at night and shelter during the heat of the day.
WHAT IT EATS
Children’s Pythons feed on small animals including lizards, frogs, birds and small mammals. They are constrictors, meaning they coil around their prey before swallowing it whole.
QUICK FACTS
• Children’s Pythons are non-venomous.
• They are one of Australia’s smaller python species.
• They are mainly nocturnal and are most active after dark.
• Special heat-sensing pits on the lower lip help them detect warm-blooded prey.
• Females lay eggs and coil around them while they develop.
• They are capable climbers and can be found amongst rocks, trees and vegetation.
• The species was named after English zoologist John George Children ,the name has nothing to do with children.
PETE'S PHOTO STORY
I photographed this Children’s Python at night as it moved through the vegetation. I took several photos as it changed position, capturing different views of the same snake. I later brought two of those moments together into one image, showing the python from two different angles. It created a more interesting way to show the beauty and character of this small nocturnal python.