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TEAM TALK
The Cutting Edge
By Mariette
HAVING A BALL OF A TIME !
“Sitka” is a handsome male Ball Python (Python regius) that joined
the Snake Park on 15 August 2013. During a routine collection of
stock for some of our animals, this precious boy was spotted at a
local Pet Shop, desperately looking for a new loving and caring
home.
I will never forget the day that I saw him and the sign on his tempo-
rary enclosure stating “Beware, Peter the Python!” Right there and
then my heart melted (and his name changed!).
I decided to give Sitka all of my love and care and immediately de-
cided to purchase him (he was approximately three years of age and
was put up for sale as his previous owner could no longer care for
him).
Although Sitka is my personal animal, he is currently on loan agree-
ment at the Snake Park, acting as a true ambassador for his species.
He participates in daily interaction sessions and thoroughly enjoys
the attention he receives from the public!
Ball Pythons (Python regius) are also known as Royal Pythons. This
non-venomous constrictor is
endemic to sub-Saharan Africa
and naturally found in west
Africa from Senegal, Mali, Guin-
ea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone,
Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana,
Benin and Nigeria through
Cameroon, Chad and the Cen-
tral African Republic to Sudan and Uganda.
So how did these little pythons originate their name?
Ball Python refer to the tendency of this animal to roll itself in to a
little ball when feeling threatened or when frightened.
Royal Python refers to the tendency of these animals being viewed
as totem animals, with leaders from the sub-Saharan African coun-
tries wearing the animal as a form of jewellery. The Igbo people
from south-eastern Nigeria, considers this animal as a symbol of
earth due to the fact that this python travels so closely to the
ground as ground dwelling snakes. These animals are treated with
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