Aspidites melanocephalus
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) is a species of snake in the family Pythonidae (the python family). The species is endemic to Australia. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid. Adults of A. melanocephalus typically grow to 1.5–2 m (4.9–6.6 ft) in length (including tail), but can grow to a maximum length of 3.5 m (11 ft). The body is muscular with a flattened profile, while the tail tapers to a thin point.
The top of the head is covered by large symmetrical scales. The dorsal scales, which are smooth and glossy, number 50-65 rows at midbody, while 315-355 ventral scales occur. The tail has 60-75 mainly single subcaudal scales and the anal scale is single. The posterior subcaudals tend to be divided, often irregularly.
The color pattern consists of shades of black, dark grey, brown, gold, and cream arranged in a banded or brindled pattern. The belly is light-colored, flecked with darker spots. The head is shiny black that also extends down the neck and throat for several inches.
The species A. melanocephalus is found in Australia, in the northern half of the country, excluding the very arid regions... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Australia Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Safari Madrid | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 5 | Kyabram Fauna Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Toledo Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Detroit Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Zoo La Barben | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 10 | Healesville Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Zoo Knoxville | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Houston Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Melbourne Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Perth Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 17 | London Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 18 | Riverbanks Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 19 | Hamerton Zoo Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 20 | Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 21 | Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 22 | Sydney Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 23 | Alligator Adventure | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 24 | Reptile Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 25 | Belgrade Zoo | 🇷🇸 Serbia | |
| 26 | Symbio Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 27 | Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 28 | National Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 29 | Ranger Red’s Zoo & Conservation Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 30 | Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 31 | Wildlife HQ Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Black-headed Python sighting in Kakadu National Park on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 28th most-seen of the 54 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–March and December
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Black-headed Python in Kakadu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, April and November, the lowest months. Those are among Kakadu National Park's wettest months, with about 240 mm of rain a month against almost none in August.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-headed Python sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Black-headed Python sightings, Kakadu National Park ranks 3rd at about 20%. The best odds are in Litchfield National Park (Australia, about 40%) and Cape Range (Australia, about 20%).
Same family: Pythonidae
The closest relatives of the Black-headed Python that you can see in Kakadu National Park (family Pythonidae, Pythons) are Children's Python (about 30%), Water Python (about 30%) and Olive Python (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-headed Python is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Kakadu National Park (11 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
