IN PICS: Python rescued after (almost) biting off more than it could chew…

A snake catcher in the South Coast, Sarel van de Merwe, had to jump over the fence of a property in Palm Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast to rescue a Southern African Python that had just had its meal recently.

Van de Merwe said he believed the female Southern African Python had just eaten a Duiker for lunch.

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He said he was contacted by neighbours who had told him about the snake being on private property.

“I called a farmer friend close by who gave me permission to release the python on his farm. Normally when you handle a snake after they ate, they regurgitate their food, lucky she didn’t,” said Van de Merwe.

He said had he not removed the python from the property, it would’ve been killed.

He couldn’t measure the length and weight of the python since it had just had its meal.

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The snake was released hours later and Van de Merwe said he monitored it for an hour to ensure its safety.

“These snakes are protected in Southern Africa as vulnerable in the latest South African red data book and may not be captured or killed. In South Africa it is the only one of its kind, a very large and bulky snake that cannot be easily confused with other snakes.

“It feeds largely on warm-blooded prey like small antelope, monkeys, game, birds and dassies, but also takes leguaans and even crocodiles,” said Van de Merwe.

This article was originally published on The Witness.