Mill Mountain Park in Roanoke, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Burmese Python
Scientific Name:
Habitat: Burmese pythons are native to the grasslands, marshes, swamps, rocky foothills, woodlands, river valleys, and jungles of Southeast Asia.
Diet: Burmese pythons are known to eat small mammals, birds, and reptiles.
Size: Adults average 10 to 16 feet long
Weight: The average male can weigh 15 to 50 lbs. and adult females average 30 to 200 lbs
Lifespan: 20-25 years in the wild
Burmese pythons are one of the largest species of snakes. They are non-venomous and secure their prey through constriction. Around the year 2000, the Burmese python became extremely popular within the illegal pet trade. Unfortunately, most people were not prepared for the massive size of these snakes and - as a result - many Burmese pythons were lost or released in foreign countries. This has been extremely prevalent in the Florida Everglades. According to the US government, there are tens of thousands of wild Burmese pythons living in southern Florida today. This has had a negative impact on the ecosystem and has led to a massive decline in local animal populations as the pythons have either begun to feed on unsuspecting species and/or compete with local species for resources.
Conservation Status:
Vulnerable - a species determined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (I.U.C.N.) to possess a high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population declines of 30 to more than 50 percent over the previous 10 years (or three generations), a current population size of fewer than 1,000 individuals, or other factors.
Did You Know?!
Burmese pythons are constrictors that have stretchy ligaments in their jaws that allow them to swallow their food whole.
Burmese pythons are on the IUNC Red List due to habitat depletion, the pet trade, and hunting for their skins.
Burmese pythons can stay submerged under water for up to 30 minutes.
Females Burmese pythons lay clutches of up to 100 eggs, which they incubate for 2-3 months. To keep their eggs warm, they continually contract, or shiver, their muscles.
Erected by Mill
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 2000.
Location. 37° 14.867′ N, 79° 56.184′ W. Marker is in Roanoke, Virginia. It is in Mill Mountain Park. It can be reached from Mill Mountain Spur Southeast south of Ridgeline Trail, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2404 Prospect Rd SE, Roanoke VA 24014, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Mountain Region and in Southwest Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Myotonic Goats (within shouting
Credits. This page was last revised on May 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 12 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 30, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
