Green Tree Python
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| Morelia viridis (Schlegel, 1872) |
The Green Tree Python is a species of tree-dwelling python native to New Guinea, various islands in Indonesia, and the northern tip of Eastern Australia (Cape York Peninsula). Green Tree Pythons are arboreal snakes and inhabit jungles, bamboo thickets and monsoonal forests. Between localities, there are several supposed patterning differences; for example, specimens from Aru Island, Indonesia typically have more white spotting than those from say, Papua New Guinea or can be bred to have bright blue or specled blue and green patterns. Green Tree Pythons, formerly known as Chondropython viridis, are also referred to as "Chondros" by people in the reptile industry. After several taxonomic changes, taxonomists have finally settled with "Morelia viridis" as the scientific name.
The Green Tree Python is remarkable in several ways: one, it uses thermoreceptive labial pits to help capture its prey -usually at night, and two, it goes through a drastic ontogenetic color change between childhood and adulthood. Green Tree Python neonates can range from highlighter yellow to brick red or brown. Juvenilles are born fully developed hatched from eggs incubated by the female snake on the forest floor. Females can often give birth to 12-25 eggs in a clutch. Every adult has slightly different colouration, but most are green with some variation, depending on selective breeding or locality. In addition to several designer patterns recently breeders have produced an Albino animal. While some feel they are aggressive, most animals can be handled during daylight hours with no issues.
Two of the largest threats to Green Tree Python populations in their native habitat, are deforestation and poaching for the pet trade. Particularly in West Papua New Guinea, which is currently occupied by Indonesia and is being logged by the Indonesian government. Many of these old growth forests in which the Green Tree Python inhabit are also common to native papuan tribes who eat the pythons. Another factor in population decrease for the snakes is the continual poaching of live speciemens for the pet trade, where Green Tree Pythons are popular for American breeders who wish to expand their stock.
Green Tree Pythons also compete with Carpet pythons who inhabit the same area and niche. Green Tree Pythons feed on birds and small mammals such as rodents and sometimes bats. To capture their prey the pythons hold on to a branch with their prehensile tails and strike out from an s-shape position. Green Tree Pythons also have a particular way of resting in the branches of trees, as seen below they loop a coil or two over the branches in a saddle position and place their head in the middle. This trait is also common with the Emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus) of South America.
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