Kofiau Island GTPs

Nightflight99 · 12-30-15, 12:26 AM

About ten years ago or so, the GTP community was excited about specimens from Kofiau Island, an island in West Papua, Indonesia. That area reportedly contained specimens that would retain the yellow juvenile coloration into adulthood. There weren't a lot of shipments of these snakes that were imported into the United States, but I was fortunate enough to open up and cherry pick the probably most significant of these shipments for a small group of the very best specimens. These tree pythons did very well, and I kept them for several years until a well-known GTP keeper finally talked me out of them.

Here is to the memories of these beautiful snakes.

The top left & top center pic are of a female, the top right & bottom left are of another female, and the bottom right is of a male.

RAD House · 12-30-15, 10:44 AM

I have always wondered if there were any gtp that retained their juvenile color. That is an incredible animal, it must have been a hell of an offer to let them go. I appreciate all the pictures and information you provide.

**Aaron_S** · 12-30-15, 10:51 AM

So these are the "canary island" ones? I remember when these guys were brought in by Bob Clark. Did you guys get some from the same shipment? Or did you sell yours to him?

Nightflight99 · 12-30-15, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MesoCorney

That is an incredible animal, it must have been a hell of an offer to let them go. I appreciate all the pictures and information you provide.

No worries, glad you enjoy them. Those are actually three different animals shown there, they just look very similar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

So these are the "canary island" ones? I remember when these guys were brought in by Bob Clark. Did you guys get some from the same shipment? Or did you sell yours to him?

Yes, those were the ones that were marketed as "Canary Island" specimens, which is a ridiculous misnomer in itself (the actual Canary Islands are off the coast of NW Africa). Bob Clark got his from a separate shipment, and my specimens ended up with a GTP keeper in TX.

dannybgoode · 12-30-15, 02:38 PM

Those pictures really do not do anything to dampen my desire for a GTP! Beautiful - never seen this species before.

**Aaron_S** · 12-31-15, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightflight99

No worries, glad you enjoy them. Those are actually three different animals shown there, they just look very similar.

Yes, those were the ones that were marketed as "Canary Island" specimens, which is a ridiculous misnomer in itself (the actual Canary Islands are off the coast of NW Africa). Bob Clark got his from a separate shipment, and my specimens ended up with a GTP keeper in TX.

Neat. Do you know if they are being produced in captivity? I haven't seen these things around since seeing them on the Clark forums.

Nightflight99 · 12-31-15, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Neat. Do you know if they are being produced in captivity? I haven't seen these things around since seeing them on the Clark forums.

Yes, Rico Walder and a few select other tree python keepers are working with them, although I'm not sure how often they are making offspring available.

BagnaraSnakes16 · 04-12-16, 07:14 AM

They are still being produced. However, with GTP's it is not guaranteed that their offspring will end up like the parents. That's the great and unique thing about this species. Anything and everything goes and offspring are unpredictable.

sirtalis · 04-12-16, 09:48 AM

wow, those are something else! I love how they still have the white stripe on their back

Big_V · 04-12-16, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightflight99

Yes, Rico Walder and a few select other tree python keepers are working with them, although I'm not sure how often they are making offspring available.

Great looking chondros.

Rico passed a little over a year ago so now the best source of pure Kofiau's is Chuck Vogel in terms of breeding age adults that still retained their yellow coloring. Daniel Natusch (Australian doctoral student who studies GTPs) went to the island within the last few years and almost all the animals are wiped out from collecting. A few farms over there now still produce pure ones, strangely enough some initiate their green color after breeding, some have stayed yellow. Its too bad Rico passed, he had the biggest pure collection of true yellow kofiaus.

Just like the rest of the localities we are not sure what turns on or off this yellow coloring and why some adults keep the color.

Enjoy them, they are special !!

Ryan