They are capable of delivering a powerful bite that can cause unpleasant injuries.
And now scientists say pythons should be on the menu, at least for those of us who want to do our part to help save the planet.
Experts at Sydney’s Macquarie University say eating snakes is better for the environment than eating beef, chicken or even fish.
Pythons do not need to eat much because they do not expend much energy and grow quickly during farming.
By comparison, products such as chicken and beef are intensively farmed and require large amounts of land and feed, causing pressure on natural resources.
Scientists measured the growth rates of two species of large pythons, the reticulated python (pictured) and the Burmese python, on farms in Thailand and Vietnam.
Pythons are already widely consumed in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand, but finding meat in the Western world is more difficult. In the photo, Burmese python meat
The team of scientists, led by Dr. Daniel Natusch, laid out their argument in a new study published today.
For the study, Dr. Natusch and his colleagues measured the growth rates of 4,601 large pythons of two species (the reticulated python and the Burmese python) on farms in Thailand and Vietnam.
Both species are non-venomous and are cultivated in Asia for their skin and meat.
The pythons were fed a variety of locally sourced proteins, including wild rodents, pork sausages, chicken and fishmeal.
Researchers found that both python species grew rapidly over a 12-month period despite not needing food as frequently as other livestock animals such as chickens and cows.
Regular measurements of the pythons showed that they continued to grow even when given food just once a week.
“They still grew, and at a faster rate than chickens, pigs, cows, crickets and salmon, and they fed more frequently,” Dr. Natusch said.
Cultured python meat may offer a more sustainable alternative to other cultured meats, analysis of python growth rates suggests. In the photo, workers in China with Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus)
Workers in Vietnam eat meat from dead Burmese pythons, which has been described as chewy and somewhat chicken-like.
Even when they did not eat for 4.2 months, the pythons survived and lost some weight, but at a “ridiculously slow” rate and resumed rapid growth as soon as feeding resumed.
Surprisingly, large pythons can go almost a year without food and still survive.
“If a chicken is not fed for three to five days, it dies,” Dr. Natusch added.
‘That’s why they are such a surprising animal for a future where climate volatility, economic volatility and resource volatility will increase.
“They are the most effective and resilient source of protein known to date.”
The team also found that female pythons grew faster than males, a sex-based difference that is common in snakes in general.
Dr. Natusch said he has eaten python meat “several times,” and described it as “tasty and versatile.”
“I’ve eaten it grilled, on satay skewers and in curries,” he told MailOnline.
‘I have also eaten it as Biltong (raw but dried meat with herbs).
“At the risk of sounding cliché, it’s a bit like chicken.”
Pythons are already widely consumed in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand, but finding meat in the Western world is more difficult.
However, the Burmese python has been served on pizzas in Florida, where the non-native species is considered an invasive pest as it competes with native wildlife for food.
The Everglades pizza, named for Florida’s vast national park, was served at Evan’s Neighborhood Pizza in Fort Myers, along with alligator sausage and frog legs.
One couple who tried it described the python meat as tasting “like chicken” and being “good, but a little chewy.”
Another Internet user described python meat as “a little sweet with a slightly gamey flavor,” but added that it is “very tough and chewy.”
Additionally, python meat is low in fat and calories, and rich in proteins, nutrients and essential amino acids.
Even when they didn’t eat for 4.2 months, the pythons survived and lost some weight, but at a very slow rate. In the photo, the Burmese python
Reticulated and Burmese pythons grew rapidly over a 12-month period despite not needing food as frequently as other livestock animals. In the photo, workers in Vietnam with Burmese pythons.
Macquarie University biologist Dr Daniel Natusch holds an Australian water python (Liasis fuscus), a species that is not farmed (it is a wild python).
Based on the findings, experts say commercial python farming could be a feasible and sustainable food production option worldwide.
They highlight the need to continue researching the most effective and humane ways of producing them worldwide.
“Python farming is well established in Asia, but has received little attention from mainstream agricultural scientists,” Dr. Natusch and his colleagues say in their paper, published in Scientific Reports.
“The ability of fasting pythons to regulate metabolic processes and maintain body condition improves food security in volatile environments.
“Python farming can offer a flexible and efficient response to global food insecurity.”