4.6-metre Southern African Python found near Ladysmith after eating a goat

Residents in the Qinisa area of Esidakeni found the fearsome creature in their yard near the goat pen after the python had consumed a goat the previous night, Ladysmith Gazette reports.

Snake expert Fanie Cilliers was called out by the residents. On arrival, he could see that the snake hadn’t moved far, as its belly was full. The entire goat was still inside it!

Fanie says the snake took over an hour to regurgitate the animal. After it was regurgitated, the goat was still safe for human consumption. However, Fanie explained that due to ancestral beliefs in the community, they did not want to even get close to the dead goat.

This is the 213th Southern African Python he has removed from the area over the years, with this particular one measuring a whopping 4.6 metres.

The python was safely released at a local game reserve, where it will have an abundance of food.