WATCH: Four metre python and her young rescued at Zimbali
The giant snake was coiled firmly around her eggs.
It was a gruelling two hour job for a young snake catcher who was called to remove a fierce mother python and her eggs from a home outside Zimbali, Ballito last week.
Nick Evans (25) of KwaZulu Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation said it was a first of its kind experience for him, and emotions ran high while removing the four-metre python that was coiled around her eggs last Friday.
“The snake had laid more than 40 eggs next to a house and the gardener discovered them between a garage wall and an embankment, which is an unusual spot. I have always wanted to see a python on eggs because they are known to be one of the only snakes that really look after their young.
“My first reaction when I looked in was, ‘Wow! That’s a big python!'”
He said the giant snake was coiled firmly around her eggs.
“This mother snake looked ready to defended her young with her life, she was striking and hissing, to the point where she resembled a dinosaur. It was very intimidating”
The snake catcher, who has been following his passion for reptiles since he was a child before starting his own business five years ago, said he consulted with many experts before he took the decision to remove the reptiles.
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“It was a delicate case because we did not want to just pull the mother and risk her damaging the eggs. So we had to move the mother python around and take the eggs out bit by bit.
Evans said they had to remove the family for their own protection as nearby construction sites posed a danger to the snakes once they hatched.
“Although pythons are protected, many people kill them out of fear while some eat them or use them for muthi. “
Evans said the mother python was released immediately within Zimbali’s wildlife section and the eggs have been incubated.
“Generally mother pythons stay with their eggs for the three months or so that it takes for them to hatch. The babies will stay with her for a short period of time upon hatching, and then they all go their separate ways.
“In this case, the mother will soon be in hunting mode again and we could not leave the eggs with her because we would have to find the perfect spot as pythons usually lay eggs underground.”
He said they would keep them for about a week after they hatched and had shed their first skin, and then they would be released.
WATCH: Footage of the exciting yet emotional rescue of a 4m python with her 40+ eggs last week.
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