One of the nicest things about working in the Discovery Centre, and at the Museum in general, is the opportunity to combine personal interests with work projects. I happen to be a big fan of snakes; more specifically, Australian pythons. When my pet python shed the other day, I thought it might be fun to compare the sloughed skin of my very small juvenile python with one of the bigger pythons we keep at the Museum.
Image: Siobhan Motherway Source: Siobhan Motherway
Meet Penfold (do you remember Dangermouse?). He's a Stimson's Python (Antaresia stimsoni), which is Australia's second smallest python. The only smaller python is Antaresia perthensis, the Pygmy or Anthill Python. In this photo, Penfold is only a few weeks old. He'll get bigger, but he'll be lucky to reach a metre long as an adult. He currently weighs under 20g, and is about 36cm long.
Image: Max Strating Source: Museum Victoria
And now, here's your humble correspondent having a cuddle with Olive, a member of Australia's second biggest python species (Liasis olivaceus)! She's a substantial lass; quite a different prospect from the casual one-handed approach you see in the first photo! Olive loves coming out and was trying to explore everywhere, thus the slightly disconcerted expression. I'm not sure what her vital statistics are in terms of weight and length, perhaps someone from Live Exhibits might tell us in comments.
Image: Siobhan Motherway Source: Museum Victoria
And their respective cast-offs. A great comparison, don't you think? Such diversity within a family.
We trekked down to Live Exhibits to get the shots of Olive and pick up her sloughed skin. This was the perfect opportunity to introduce our newest staff member Max and fantastic volunteer Mary to this department. Thanks very much to Tash and the other Live Exhibits staff for all your help!
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