Antaresia childreni
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%
Children's python (Antaresia childreni) is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is named after John George Children. It is a nocturnal species occurring in the northern half of Australia and generally found on the ground, although it often climbs trees. Usually growing to about 1.0 m (3 ft) in length or more depending on the polymorphic variant, it is typically a reddish-brown colour, darker on the upper surface, and with many darker blotches, especially on younger specimens. The Stimson's python variant has much stronger and more variable colours; often being adorned with reddish-brown to chocolate blotches against lighter tan. It feeds mostly on small mammals and birds, and as with other pythons, it constricts its prey before swallowing it whole. It is a popular pet among reptile enthusiasts.
Antaresia childreni is one of four species in the genus Antaresia, a genus in the family Pythonidae. The genus is named after the star Antares. John Edward Gray published the original description of the species in 1842, naming it Liasis childreni. Both the common name and the specific epithet, childreni, are in honour of Gray's mentor... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Berlin Zoological Garden | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Dickerson Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Memphis Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Cologne Zoological Garden | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Sydney Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Reptile Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Aquarium Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 10 | Australian Wildlife Park, Albany | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Cologne Zoo Aquarium | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 12 | Ranger Red’s Zoo & Conservation Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Children's Python sighting in Kakadu National Park on a given day, based on 42 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 4th most-seen of the 54 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Children's Python in Kakadu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in November, the lowest month. That is one of Kakadu National Park's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain against 350 mm in January.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Children's Python sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Children's Python sightings, Kakadu National Park ranks 3rd at about 30%. The best odds are in Cape Range (Australia, about 40%) and Litchfield National Park (Australia, about 40%).
Same family: Pythonidae
The closest relatives of the Children's Python that you can see in Kakadu National Park (family Pythonidae, Pythons) are Water Python (about 30%), Olive Python (about 30%) and Black-headed Python (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Children's Python is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Kakadu National Park (42 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.
