Bali, Britain’s Longest Python undergoes Medical Checkup at Chester Zoo

Dr Eric Stohr, from Cardiff Metropolitan University is the one who gets a
chance to regularly pay visit to Bali, the 23 feet long python which is believed to be the longest snake in Britain. But the entire trouble is for the staff at Chester Zoo who has to keep him steady while Dr. Eric takes cold blooded animal’s blood sample to check it’s hearts’ health.


The reticulated python weighs in at about 90kg. In the wild, these giant snakes share their Southeast Asian forest homes with orangutans and are one of their few natural predators.

At Chester Zoo the pythons are fed every six to eight weeks - a diet of
whole turkeys, chickens or rabbits. They have sharp teeth which they use to hold their prey before crushing and suffocating them with their body.

Luckily, with six people holding the snake together, along with the veterinarian, the snake succumbed to medical technology, and the zoo can now check on Bali's health - and hopefully, the snake will be entertaining visitors for years to come.

According to the zoo, the large size and distinctive scale pattern of reticulated pythons has resulted in them being heavily exploited for skin to make popular leather products such as belts, wallets and boots. Habitat loss is another significant threat.