# Reticulated Python (*Malayopython reticulatus*)

> The reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) is the world's longest snake, regularly exceeding 5–6 m in Southeast Asian rainforests, rivers, and farmland edges from Indonesia and the Philippines to Malaysia and Thailand. It constricts mammals and birds, and is listed Least Concern, though large individuals are heavily hunted for skins.

- **Category:** Reptile
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Southeast Asia including Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/reticulated-python/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Reptilia
- **Order:** Squamata
- **Family:** Pythonidae
- **Genus:** Malayopython

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Malayopython reticulatus |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Habitat | Rainforest, rivers, and farmland edges |
| Lifespan | Around 25 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 75 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 5 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Record length constrictor

Verified lengths beyond 6 m make this the longest snake species; mass is high but usually below the heaviest green anacondas. Complex reticulated colour patterns give excellent camouflage in dappled light.

## Mammals from rats to deer

Diet spans rodents, monkeys, wild pigs, and deer — prey swallowed whole after constriction. They often hunt near water and village edges where rodents thrive.

## Southeast Asian lowlands

Rainforest, rivers, and farmland edges across Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and neighbouring countries. Across its range it is tied to rainforest, rivers, and farmland edges, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## Skin trade and conflict

Least Concern overall due to wide range and adaptability, yet intensive skin harvest and killing after livestock predation pressure local giants. They are not typically a conservation crisis species but need sustainable management.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the longest reticulated python ever recorded?

Reliable records exceed 6 m, with some historical claims higher; it holds the title of longest snake species.

### Can reticulated pythons eat humans?

Extremely rare documented cases involve unusually large snakes; they normally take mammals and birds of manageable size.

### Are reticulated pythons venomous?

No — they kill by constriction for the reticulated python.

### Where do reticulated pythons live?

Southeast Asia including Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.

### Why are large pythons hunted?

For skins used in fashion leather and sometimes for meat or fear after livestock losses.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/reticulated-python/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.