The Pythonidae, commonly known as pythons, are a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Collectively, the pythons are well-documented and studied as constrictors, much like other non-venomous snakes, including the boas and even kingsnakes of the New World.

In some African cultures, pythons have significant roles in folklore and mythology, often symbolizing strength or having sacred status.

Pythons are found in sub-Saharan Africa, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Southeast Asia, southeastern Pakistan, southern China, the Philippines and Australia.

Local bounties are awarded and scientists study dead Burmese pythons to better understand breeding cycles and trends associated with rapid population explosion.

They are also known to prey on other invasive and introduced animals to Florida, such as the green iguana and nutria (coypu), though not at a rate as to lower their numbers rapidly or effectively.

[citation needed] Most members of this family are ambush predators, in that they typically remain motionless in a camouflaged position, and then strike suddenly at passing prey.

However, caution must be exercised with the larger species, as they can be dangerous; rare cases of large specimens killing their owners have been documented.

[18] Pythons are poached for their meat, mostly consumed locally as bushmeat and their skin, which is sent to Europe and North America for manufacture of accessories like bags, belts and shoes.

[20] In Cameroon bushmeat markets, the Central African rock python is commonly sold for meat and is very expensive at US$175.

Pythons are disease vectors for multiple illnesses, including Salmonella, Chlamydia, Leptospirosis, Aeromoniasis, Campylobacteriosis, and Zygomycosis.

[22][23] A 2013 study found that Reptile-Associated Salmonella (RAS) is most common in young children who had been in contact with invasive pythons, with symptoms including "sepsis, meningitis, and bone and joint infection".

[24] Pythons are also integrated into some aspects of African health and belief use, often with the added risk of contacting zoonotic diseases.

Python bodies and blood are used for African traditional medicines and other belief uses as well, one in-depth study of all animals used by the Yorubas of Nigeria for traditional medicine found that the African Python is used to cure rheumatism, snake poison, appeasing witches, and accident prevention.

A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences study found that the Burmese python, as an invasive species, enters new habitats and eats an increasing number of mammals, leaving limited species for mosquitoes to bite, forcing them to bite disease-carrying hispid cotton rats and then infect humans with the Everglades virus, a dangerous infection that is carried by very few animals.

[26] While direct human-python interactions can be potentially dangerous, the risk of zoonotic diseases is always a concern, whether considering medical and belief use in Nigeria or when addressing invasive species impacts in Florida.

Many believe that python blood prevents the accumulation of fatty acids, triglycerides and lipids from reaching critically high levels.

In Benin, Vodun practitioners believe that pythons symbolize strength and the spirit of Dagbe ["to do good" in Yoruba].