Python: A Promising Alternative Protein Source Amid Rising Meat Demand
In a farm in central Thailand, thousands of pythons coil inside containers, lunging and striking the glass when someone passes by. They are raised primarily for their skins, which are sold to high-end fashion houses in Europe for belts, handbags, and wallets. However, some scientists believe that the true value of pythons may lie in their meat, according to AFP. Global demand for meat is on the rise, despite the carbon emissions associated with traditional livestock. While plant-based diets are often considered the best alternative, many argue that reptiles could provide another option.
Farm-raised pythons primarily serve the leather industry. (Photo: AFP)
Pythons can withstand high temperatures and drought, reproduce quickly, and grow much faster than traditional animal protein sources, while consuming significantly less food. Researchers estimate that there are at least 4,000 python farms in China and Vietnam, with millions of pythons, primarily for the fashion industry. Python farming could provide a flexible and efficient solution to global food instability, according to findings published in the journal Nature.
Scientists spent a year studying nearly 5,000 Burmese pythons and reticulated pythons at two commercial farms in Vietnam and Thailand. They can survive for months without food and water, without losing weight, according to Patrick Aust, director of the African Institute of Applied Herpetology, one of the researchers involved. Pythons are fed chicken and wild-caught mice, providing a higher food-to-meat ratio than poultry, beef, or even crickets. They also reproduce rapidly, with females laying 50 to 100 eggs each year.
This discovery is encouraging for Emilio Malucchi, who raises about 9,000 pythons in Uttaradit, Thailand. Malucchi moved from Italy to Thailand with his family over four decades ago. He has yet to convince people to eat python meat. Most of the python meat he produces goes to waste or is sent to fish farms. Wild pythons have long been a delicacy across Southeast Asia, but this type of meat has not gained widespread interest globally, despite its chicken-like taste and low saturated fat content. “The problem is there is no market for python meat. We need to educate people about the potential of python meat”, Malucchi said.
The climate impact of meat production is widely recognized. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasizes that meat from grazing animals, primarily cattle, has the largest environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and land use. While the UN supports a shift towards more plant-based diets, meat demand is estimated to rise by 14% by 2032 due to population growth in low-income regions and rising living standards in Asian countries.
At the same time, drought and extreme weather are making traditional livestock farming increasingly difficult in many parts of the world that have an urgent need for protein. Protein-energy malnutrition caused nearly 190,000 deaths globally in 2021, according to a study by the Global Burden of Disease program. This paradox drives the exploration of alternative meat sources, from edible insects to lab-grown meat.
Currently, commercial python farmers face strict and outdated handling standards. Animal rights organizations do not support python farming for meat either. Malucchi’s farm has been accused by PETA of animal cruelty for killing pythons with a hammer before skinning them. “Farm animals are slaughtered all over the world. Pythons are no exception”, Malucchi explained.
