Scientific Name:
Morelia viridis
Distribution
Australia, New Guinea and surrounding islands
Diet:
Carnivore. Reptiles and small mammals
Facts
Habitat: Humid forests
Incubation: 5-35 eggs, 45-65 days
Social structure: Solitary
Weight: 1.1-1.6kg
Dimensions: 1.5-1.8m
Lifespan: 15-19
IUCN Status: Least concern
Estimated population in the wild: Common
Threats: Hunting for the pet trade or for food from indigenous people in New Guinea. The natural colour morphs, and need for fresh blood lines, have resulted in the constant capture of wild specimens for the pet trade.
Did you know that:
- Adults have a strong dentition with teeth up to 2 cm.
- They rest in the branches of trees in a coil with their head in the middle. Prey is captured by holding onto a branch using the prehensile tail and striking out from an s-shape position.
- The colour of the hatchlings is a brilliant yellow, red or brown-red.