Southern African python (Python natalensis) diet, using information gathered from social media and historical data

Abstract

African pythons are the largest and among the most charismatic species of snake on the continent. Surprisingly little is known about the details of their diets. This may be due to the difficulty of compiling a list of prey items for a generalist species. We used data collected from historical literature and citizen science platforms, in the form of social media, to compile a baseline list of species that the southern African python (Python natalensis) feeds on, including birds, mammals, reptiles and fish. Data collected from social media significantly increased the list of prey species compared with those only known from historical literature records. In addition, the data revealed a shift from avian prey to more mammalian species and an increase in human-animal conflict involving larger pythons. Hunting behaviours were observed and caudal luring documented for the first time in this species. Social media can be a useful data source that, when used correctly, can provide a rich source of raw data that can be usefully analysed and combined with other sources in order to answer questions, as well as enrich and validate prior knowledge about cryptic and difficult-to-research species.