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Vandalur zoo’s rock python attracts visitors
by Jaikumar

         Chennai: In Aringar Anna Vandalur Zoological Park, a rock python has laid 40 eggs this past week. "This is one of the longest snakes in the world which breeds regularly. It is fifth time that this python has laid eggs in the enclosure. The young ones will be hatching out on the 65th day," said Manimozhi, a biologist at the Vandalur Zoo. Pythons lay eggs and then arrange them in a pile. They coil around the pile until all eggs are hatched. Since pythons cannot regulate their internal body temperature, they cannot incubate their eggs. They raise the temperature of their eggs by slight moments of their body. The rare hatching event has attracted a lot of visitors and their tiny-tots. "I have visited many places like the snake park, and have seen many varieties of snake. This is the first time I am visiting Vandalur Zoo. I have seen an unusual sight with a python who has laid around 40 eggs, something I could not see before. It is always better to bring children to see such sights because, otherwise, it is not possible to have such a real life experience," said Pushpa John, a visitor Children also expressed delight over the experience. "I had visited the Vandalur Zoo earlier, but this is the first time that I have seen a snake who has laid around 40 eggs. This is really astonishing," said Anaka, a young girl. A python may live more than 20 years. They are solitary creatures, but males and females seek each other out to mate. The female coils about her eggs to incubate them. Young pythons have many natural enemies like eagles, crocodiles, leopards and hyenas. As per herpetology, among the different varieties of python, the one found in India is named rock python. It is an arboreal snake, once fairly common throughout the jungles of India , Sri Lanka , and the East Indies.
-April 30,  2007