Powerful predator that eats just four times a year

÷ Pythons eat only four to five times a year if their prey is large

÷ They can feed on livestock and wild animals such as lizards, monkeys and antelope

÷ Pythons can grow to 30ft and typically weigh 260-300lb

÷ They are not venomous but kill their prey by constricting it before swallowing it whole

÷ They will generally not attack humans unless provoked

÷ But in 2013, an African rock python killed two young boys while they slept after escaping from its enclosure in Canada

÷ Pythons can live up to 40 years in captivity

÷ In the wild they are found in rainforests, savannas and deserts