Southern African pythons are versatile in their habitat preferences, thriving in rocky outcrops, moist savanna regions, and lowland forests. They are excellent climbers and swimmers, often found basking in the sun or submerged in water with only their heads sticking out. Their diet is diverse, including animals like hyraxes, cane rats, hares, monkeys, small antelopes, game birds, fishes, monitor lizards, and even crocodiles. Juveniles tend to feed on ground-living birds and rodents. These pythons are ambush predators, using constriction to subdue their prey. They can go for extended periods without food, especially after consuming a large meal.
