What Is Unusual about a Burmese Python's Heart?

The Burmese python is one of the largest snakes in the world and generally weighs up to 200 pounds (90 kilograms). Like most snakes, a Burmese python does not need to eat very often. An adult Burmese python usually eats once a month, while the younger ones eat as often as once a week. If required, they can go without eating for longer periods of time. When they do find prey, which are usually birds or small mammals like rats and rabbits, they swallow their meal whole and digest practically everything. Burmese pythons are known to sometimes eat surprisingly large animals like pigs and alligators.

Possibly because of these eating habits, Burmese pythons have an unusual metabolic process in which some of their organs increase in size after eating. The heart of a Burmese python grows 40% within 72 hours of a large meal. The medical term for heart enlargement is "cardiac hypertrophy." Unlike cardiac hypertrophy in humans, however, which is abnormal and possibly dangerous, experts have discovered that heart enlargement in Burmese pythons after meals is entirely normal and safe.

More about Burmese pythons:

• As of 2014, the world's heaviest snake is a Burmese python at the Serpent Safari Park in Illinois that weighs 403 pounds (183 kilograms).
• Burmese pythons can't see very well, so they locate their prey through chemical and heat sensors.
• Burmese pythons have special cells in their small intestines which allow them to digest bones.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is unique about the Burmese python's heart?

The Burmese python's heart is remarkable for its ability to increase in size by up to 40% when digesting large prey. This physiological adaptation, known as cardiac hypertrophy, allows the snake to pump more blood and supply the necessary oxygen and nutrients to its digestive system during the energy-intensive digestion process.

How does the Burmese python's heart adapt to its eating habits?

Due to its infrequent but large meals, the Burmese python's heart undergoes significant changes to manage the metabolic demands. After consuming prey, the python's metabolic rate can increase up to 40-fold, and its heart enlarges to support this surge, enhancing circulation and digestive efficiency. This adaptation is temporary, with the heart returning to normal size once digestion is complete.

Can other snakes increase their heart size like the Burmese python?

While cardiac hypertrophy is particularly notable in Burmese pythons, other snake species also exhibit similar, albeit less dramatic, physiological changes. The degree of heart enlargement and metabolic increase is generally proportional to the size of the meal consumed and varies among different species of snakes.

What evolutionary advantage does the Burmese python gain from its heart's unusual feature?

The evolutionary advantage of the Burmese python's heart lies in its ability to optimize digestion and nutrient absorption from infrequent, large meals. This adaptation ensures that the python can survive in environments where food is scarce, by efficiently processing and storing energy from the occasional large prey it captures.

Does the Burmese python's heart enlargement pose any health risks to the snake?

Unlike in humans, where cardiac hypertrophy can lead to health issues, the Burmese python's heart enlargement is a healthy, reversible adaptation. It is a natural response to their feeding pattern and does not pose health risks to the snake, as the heart returns to its normal size after the digestion process is complete.

How does the Burmese python's heart compare to a human's in terms of its response to increased workload?

When the human heart faces increased workload, it can also undergo hypertrophy, but this is often a sign of underlying health issues and can lead to complications. In contrast, the Burmese python's heart enlarges as a normal, temporary response to digesting large prey, without adverse health effects, showcasing a remarkable example of physiological plasticity in reptiles.