Python regius

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	REPTILIA	SQUAMATA	PYTHONIDAE

Scientific Name:

Python regius

Species Authority:

(Shaw, 1802)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Ball Python, Royal Python
French	–	Python Royal

Synonym/s:

Boa regia Shaw, 1802

Python belii Gray, 1842

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2010
Assessor/s:	Auliya, M. & Schmitz, A.
Reviewer/s:	Böhm, M., Collen, B. & Ram, M. (Sampled Red List Index Coordinating Team)
Contributor/s:	De Silva, R., Milligan, H.T., Wearn, O.R., Wren, S., Zamin, T., Sears, J., Wilson, P., Lewis, S., Lintott, P. & Powney, G.
Justification: Python regius is exploited for the pet trade, but has been assessed as Least Concern as the suspected population decline is not large enough to warrant threatened status. This species has a large range and can be found in a variety of natural and altered habitats. However, the trade of this species should still be carefully monitored and the numbers exploited should be reduced.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species has a wide distribution from Sudan and Uganda across central Africa and throughout west Africa to Senegal.
Countries:	Native: Benin; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Liberia; Mali; Niger; Nigeria; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Sudan; Togo; Uganda
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	There are no population data available for this species.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species inhabits dry areas, from grassland to open forests. It can also be found in agricultural land. This species is an important species for rodent pest control.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Locally, this species is poached for meat and leather. However, their biggest threat is the international pet trade. In West Africa, many thousands are captured annually and exported. In 1998, Walls states in some areas of western Africa it is likely that repeated loss of clutches to the pet trade may be leading to local extirpation of the species (Walls 1998). Captive breeding activities were thought to provide a degree of protection for this species, however, it was found that captive breeding does not confer any significant conservation benefit on the species (Jenkins 1998).

Major Threat(s):

Locally, this species is poached for meat and leather. However, their biggest threat is the international pet trade. In West Africa, many thousands are captured annually and exported. In 1998, Walls states in some areas of western Africa it is likely that repeated loss of clutches to the pet trade may be leading to local extirpation of the species (Walls 1998). Captive breeding activities were thought to provide a degree of protection for this species, however, it was found that captive breeding does not confer any significant conservation benefit on the species (Jenkins 1998).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed on CITES Appendix II. Further research into the harvest levels of this species is suggested. Improved captive breeding strategies may help in reducing the pressure from the pet trade.

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed on CITES Appendix II. Further research into the harvest levels of this species is suggested. Improved captive breeding strategies may help in reducing the pressure from the pet trade.

Citation:	Auliya, M. & Schmitz, A. 2010. Python regius. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2013.
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