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Python regius
Python regius is a nonvenomous python species found in Africa. This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular in the pet trade, largely due to its typically docile temperament. No subspecies are currently recognized. It is also known as royal python or ball python. The name "ball python" refers to the animal's tendency to curl into a ball when stressed or frightened. The name "royal python" (from the Latin regius) comes from the fact that rulers in Africa would wear the python as jewelry.
Ball pythons prefer grasslands, savannas and sparsely wooded areas. Termite mounds and empty mammal burrows are important habitats for this species. Usually found in West Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone, Togo, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Cameroon, Gambia, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Central African Republic, Ghana, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Uganda, and Sudan.
Pet Ball Python
Spotted on May 3, 2012
Submitted on May 3, 2014
