7812jk+Predator+Essay

Killer Constrictor The HOWL (Hunters of the Wild Lands) Museum is looking for the best predators. Many animals probably come to your mind when you hear the word, “predator,” but do you think of reticulated pythons? In the rain forest, reticulated pythons are one of the most dangerous predators. Even though they are very equipped, most people don’t believe that reticulated pythons are good predators. Reticulated pythons deserve a spot in HOWL Museum.

One main reason reticulated pythons should be in the HOWL Museum is their creative camouflage. They aren’t very fast, so reticulated pythons use camouflage to make up for that. Their brown and yellow patterns on their backs help camouflage them in the rainforest, their natural habitat. Reticulated pythons reflect the patterns of their habitat as camouflage. Some reticulated pythons make patterns on their scales, while others are just an unnoticeable brown. Because of their camouflage, reticulated pythons are able to sneak quietly around the forest floor.

Another reason reticulated pythons are amazing predators is that they have heat sensors. You know how people say, “When one of your senses aren’t good you're others are enhanced”? Well that’s pretty much the case for the reticulated python. Since they can’t really see, reticulated pythons are able to feel the heat coming off their prey. Reticulated pythons have heat sensors in their lips that enable them to sense objects that are hotter than the environment around them. That means they can hunt all day and night. The final reason reticulated pythons are great predators is that they are constrictors. That means they wrap around their prey in order to choke and kill them. They’re not poisonous, instead they bite their prey in order to keep it still. After choking their prey, they swallow it whole, and it takes several days or even weeks to fully digest it. Reticulated pythons are carnivores, so they’ll eat animals such as large mammals, birds, or reptiles. They may not be poisonous, but if you ever get close enough to find that out, let’s just say it’ll be breathtaking.

Although you might think that reticulated pythons aren’t dangerous because they don’t have venom, they can still kill its prey in only a matter of minutes. Think about it. One minute you’re opening a banana, but before you finish eating, your suffocating. You couldn’t even run away if it was pitch black! It would sneak up on you with its cool camouflage. Do you still think reticulated pythons don’t deserve a spot in the HOWL Museum? That’s what I thought.

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