# Indian python (*Python molurus*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/indian-python  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The Indian python (Python molurus), also called the Asian rock python, Indian rock python, Asiatic rock python, Black-tailed python or Kaa, is a snake in the family Pythonidae and the genus Python. It is a medium-sized reptile, with a representative adult body mass of 17.1 kg. It produces 1 clutch or litter per year with 27.5 eggs or young, eggs incubate for 59 days, and it reaches sexual maturity at 3 years. The IUCN Red List assesses it globally as Near Threatened (NT), which is not a threatened category, and its lifespan is listed as 34.14 years.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 17.1 kg |
| Length | 3 m |
| Lifespan | 34.1 years |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Egg incubation | 59 days |
| Young per litter or clutch | 27.5 |
| Age at maturity | 3 years |
| Litters or clutches a year | 1 |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Reptilia
- order: Squamata
- family: Pythonidae
- genus: Python
- species: *Python molurus* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Boa albicans*, *Boa castanea*, *Boa cinerea*, *Boa orbiculata*, *Boa ordinata*, *Coluber boaeformis*, *Coluber molurus*, *Python bora*, *Python jamesonii*, *Python molurus molurus*, *Python molurus pimbura*, *Python molurus var. intermedia*, *Python molurus var. ocellatus*, *Python molurus var. sondaica*, *Python tigris*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the Indian python?

The Indian python is a snake, a reptile in the order Squamata, suborder Serpentes and family Pythonidae.

### How heavy is the Indian python?

The representative adult body mass of the Indian python is 17.1 kg, placing it in the medium size class (1 to 25 kg).

### Is the Indian python endangered?

No. It is listed globally as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List, which is not a threatened category.

### How long does the Indian python live?

Its lifespan is listed as 34.14 years, and the highest value reported by sources is 34.2 years.

### How many eggs does the Indian python have?

The Indian python has 27.5 eggs or young per clutch, with 1 clutch or litter per year. Egg incubation lasts 59 days.

### When does the Indian python reach maturity?

The Indian python reaches sexual maturity at 3 years, or 1,095 days.

### What is the scientific name of the Indian python, and who named it?

Its scientific name is Python molurus, with the authority (Linnaeus, 1758).

### What other names does the Indian python have?

It is also called Kaa, Asian rock python, Indian rock python, Asiatic rock python and Black-tailed python.

## Sources

- [An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1), CC0 1.0, E096-269. Myhrvold, N.P., Baldridge, E., Chan, B., Sivam, D., Freeman, D.L. & Ernest, S.K.M. (2015) An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles. Ecology 96: 3109. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-0846R.1. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1
- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Indian python (Python molurus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/indian-python