India, Nov. 16 -- As winter tightens its grip on the tricity region, the giant serpents are in a hurry to eat. Rock pythons are very active after the monsoon wanes and lurk near game trails in the scrub so as to waylay prey. The pythons' intense hunting period continues till November. The pythons need to eat solidly and store "fuel" for the deep winter in terms of stored fat. In winter, they will not hibernate as such but will reduce activity and collect in congregations for mating around burrows.

Delving on how pythons prepare for the icy weather, Aditi Mukherjee told this writer: "All through the summers, from July onwards and especially during the post-monsoon, pythons are on the prowl and going around and ambushing prey. Winter is ma...