GREEN TREE PYTHON
Chondropython viridis
Reptile
Order Squamata
Description
These pythons are vivid green in color, with a broken vertebral
stripe of white or dull yellow. Spots of the same color may be scattered
over the body. These snakes have been known to reach a length of seven feet,
but the average adult is up to four feet long.
Range
New Guinea (West Irian, Papua) and extreme northeastern Australia
(Cape York).
Status
Endangered due to deforestation.

Photo © James Rowan |
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Ecology
- Habitat
- Rainforest trees, bushes, and shrubs.
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- Niche
- Completely arboreal. Rodents, birds, and probably bats are eaten, sometimes
with the snake dangling from its roost, secured by its strong, prehensile
tail.
Life History
These snakes spend almost their entire lives in the trees. The tree python
is oviparous (egg laying), typically incubating and protecting the eggs.
Hatchlings are typically lemon yellow with broken stripes and spots of purple
and brown. However, red or blue young can often appear in the same clutch
as the yellow. The vivid juvenile colors soon change to the adult green.
Special Adaptations
- These snakes employ disruptive coloration which is an excellent camouflage,
and effects near invisibility.
- Strong prehensile tail enables the snake to eat while hanging from
a branch.
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