Venomous snakes have existed for over 60 million years, evolving specialised chemical weapons that make them highly effective predators. Their bites, delivered with incredible speed and precision, are ...

Understanding the behaviour of snakes can be both intriguing and challenging, particularly for those new to herpetology or keeping these reptiles as pets. Among their many unique traits, one behaviour ...

Burmese pythons and other carnivorous snakes are well-known for swallowing their prey whole. But what comes out the other end doesn’t resemble what went in. There’s not a bone to be seen in their poop ...

Researchers found that specialized cells in Burmese pythons' (Python bivittatus) intestinal lining process calcium from the bones of their meals. This helps explain how these predators digest whole ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Birds of prey typically fit into a common mold: they are ...

Researchers discover the secret behind Burmese pythons' ability to fully digest the bones of their prey. Everglades NPS from Homestead, Florida, United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons ...