The Minnesota Zoo mourns the death of Nikita, a Burmese python who was a fixture of the Tropics Trail for decades. At the time of her death Nikita was 29 years old, making her one of the oldest Burmese pythons in human care.
When she came to the Minnesota Zoo in the 1990s, Nikita was a few feet long and weighed 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs.). Over her long life, she grew to a stunning 14 feet, 8 inches long and weighed 67 kg (nearly 148 lbs.!). For her routine care and health exams, it took a team of five to seven Zookeepers to safely move and lift her.
Her habitat in the nocturnal portion of the Tropics Trail offered her warmth and high humidity as found in her species’ native range in southeast Asia. Throughout her life, she received a nutritious diet of small mammals that she swallowed whole.
Nikita was humanely euthanized in late May 2024 due to ongoing health issues. She was a remarkable ambassador for her species, helping to build understanding of the critical role of snakes in healthy ecosystems around the world. With her beauty and size, we are confident Nikita left a big—and lasting—impression on the millions of Zoo guests who visited her over her long life.
Burmese python Nikita was a highlight of the Tropics Trail at the Minnesota Zoo for nearly three decades before her death in May 2024.