"In the Python's Grip"

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Indian rock python, Python molurus	Burmese rock python, Python bivittatus

As already observed, since the completion of filming the two races of Asian rock python were elevated to specific status* as Python molurus and P.bivittatus, as I proposed should be the case. Bhupathy has continued his studies into the natural history of the Indian python at Keoladeo Nationa Park, and published his results**.

*Jacobs, Auliya & Böhme 2009 Zur taxonomie des Dunklen Tigerpythons, Python molurus bivittatus Khl, 1820, speziell der Population von Sulawesi. Sauria 31(3):5-16.

** Ramesh& Bhupathy 2010 Breeding biology of Python molurus molurus in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India. Herpetological Journal 20(3):157-163.

Ganges gharial, Gavialis gangeticus, in the Chambal River

The situation for the Ganges gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is not so bright. A recent survey*** examined the affects if human influence (water pumping, fishing, tourism, sand mining) on the Chambal River population. There has also been a marked die-off of gharials across their entire range, something investigated by herpetologist Rom Whitaker in his film "Gharial Blues" and in his article "The Gharial: Going Extinct Again"****. Reintroduction programs with juvenile gharial will not be successful unless the environmental and human causes for their sudden and massive decline are redressed first.

*** Katdare, Srivathsa, Hoshi, Panke, Pande, Kandal & Everard 2011 Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) populations and human influences on habitat on the River Chambal, India. Aquatic Conservation 21(4):364-371.

**** Whitaker 2007 The Gharial: Going Extinct Again. Iguana 14(1):25-33.