Reptiles
Olive Python
Liasis olivaceus
In the late afternoon light of a Kimberley gorge, an olive python slides across a sandstone ledge above a waterhole, its scales glinting like polished bronze.
Overview
The olive python, Liasis olivaceus, is a Least Concern constrictor of rocky ranges, woodland, and watercourses across tropical northern Australia. Its size, glossy scales, and ambush hunting of wallabies and rats make it one of the great snakes of the Australian north.
A python of the rocky north
The olive python’s colour blends with the sandstone and dry grass of the northern gorges, and its crevice shelters keep it cool through the hottest part of the day.
Status
Least Concern, widespread across northern Australia.
Olive Python: common questions
Is the olive python venomous?
No, it is a constrictor that kills its prey by wrapping coils around it and squeezing.
How big does the olive python grow?
It grows to around 4 metres long, making it one of Australia's largest snakes.
Where does the olive python live?
It lives in rocky ranges, woodland, and along watercourses across tropical northern Australia.
What does it eat?
It eats mammals such as wallabies and rats, as well as birds and reptiles.