Instead of meat – strangler? There are many reasons to choose this alternative

Experts from Macquarie University (Australia) say that eating stranglers is better for the environment than beef, chicken or even fish.

Pythons don’t need to eat a lot because they don’t use up a lot of energy – and they grow fast when fed. By comparison, producing chicken and beef requires a lot of land and feed for the animals, putting a strain on natural resources.

A team of researchers led by Daniel Natusch, Ph.D., made their case in a newly published new study.

In the study, Dr. Natusch and his colleagues measured the growth rates of 4,601 two species of large pythons, the reticulated python and the Burmese python, in farms in Thailand and Vietnam. Both species are non-venomous and are farmed in Asia for their skin and meat.

The pythons were fed a variety of locally sourced proteins, including wild rodents, pork sausages, chicken and fish feed.

The researchers found that both species of pythons grew rapidly over a 12-month period, even though they did not need food as often as other domestic animals such as chickens and cows. Regular measurements of the pythons showed that they continued to grow even when they received food just once a week.

“They still grew, and faster than chickens, pigs, cows, caterpillars and salmon,” says Dr. D. Natusch. According to the researchers, even after going without food for 4.2 months, the pythons survived and lost only a small amount of weight – and grew rapidly again as soon as they were fed again.

“It’s amazing that large pythons can go almost a year without food – and still survive. If you don’t feed a chicken for 3-5 days, it dies, adds the researcher. “That’s why they’re such wonderful animals.” This will be critical in the future, when climate, economic and resource volatility will increase.”

Mr Natusch says he has eaten python meat “several times” – describing it as “delicious and versatile”. “I’ve had it grilled, on skewers and in curries,” he said. “At the risk of sounding corny, it tastes a bit like chicken.”

Pythons are already widely consumed in Southeast Asian countries (such as Vietnam and Thailand), but their meat is harder to come by in the Western world.

Indeed, the Burmese python has been served on pizzas in Florida, USA, where this non-native species is considered an invasive pest because it competes with native animals for food.

A couple who tasted it described the taste of python meat as “chicken-like” and “good, but a bit long”.

Another netizen describes python meat as “slightly sweet with a bit of a gamey taste,” but adds that it’s “very tough and chewy.”

Python meat is low in fat and calories and rich in protein, nutrients and essential amino acids.

Based on the results, experts say that commercial python farming could be a feasible and sustainable method of food production worldwide. They emphasize the need for further research into the most efficient and humane ways of growing them around the world.

“The ability of starving pythons to regulate metabolic processes and maintain good body condition increases the security of food resources in a volatile environment. Python farming can be a flexible and effective response to global food shortages,” Dr. Natusch and colleagues say in an article published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Adapted from the Daily Mail.