News Release
 
Contact: Sondra Katzen, Public Relations, 708.688.8351, sondra.katzen@czs.org
 
July 16, 2021
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 

NOTE: Download photos of the reticulated python at end of this press release.
   

Brookfield, Ill. — Today, July 16, is World Snake Day, and Brookfield Zoo celebrated by posting on its social media channels a video of its reticulated python receiving its annual weight and length measurements taken by the animal care staff. The 16-year-old male python, who resides at the Zoo’s Reptiles and Birds House, is 15 feet 2 inches long and weighs almost 84 pounds. The species is the longest snake in the world averaging between 10 to 20 feet.

Many people have a phobia of snakes, and at times, the slithering creatures tend to get an undeserved bad rap. The purpose of World Snake Day is to raise awareness for the more than 3,000 snake species found on every continent, except Antarctica, including the reticulated python, which is native throughout southeast Asia.

The day also highlights the importance of snakes and how they contribute to their environments. The legless reptiles are unique to the food web. They are effective hunters and control the pest population, but they are also a food source to many animals such as birds of prey, mongoose, crocodiles, coyotes, and larger species of the feline family.

Although the reticulated python is not endangered, there are snake species that are. Main causes are habitat loss, disease, over-harvesting, and climate change.

   
 Photo Captions—credit Cathy Bazzoni/CZS-Brookfield Zoo
15: Animal care staff at Brookfield Zoo carry a 16-year-old reticulated python to get its annual measurement and weight. The male python is 15 feet 2 inches long and weighed in at almost 84 pounds.
 
19: A male 16-year-old reticulated python at Brookfield Zoo is placed on the ground to get his annual measurement taken. He is 15 feet 2 inches long. The reticulated python is the longest snake species in the world averaging between 10 to 20 feet in length.


About the Chicago Zoological Society
The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by engaging people and communities with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. Its Center for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare is at the forefront of animal care that strives to discover and implement innovative approaches to zoo animal management. Brookfield Zoo is the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, meeting American Humane Association’s rigorous certification standards. The zoo is located at 8400 31st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and also is accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, and CTA and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org.