Capture Video: Children flee from massive Southern African Python near Ladysmith

As the children of the Majola family of Emcitsheni were packing their bags late Tuesday afternoon (January 14) in preparation for school the next day, they were greeted by a “sinister” sight.

Just a few metres behind their home, a “monster” was lurking in the grass. A massive snake was near their home…

The children suddenly spotted the snake in the grass and, petrified, ran into the house to alert their elders.

The family immediately tried to contact the first person they could think of, which was the ward councillor. However, numerous calls later, the councillor was still not answering the phone.

They then managed to get the number of snake expert Fanie Cilliers and told him of their predicament.

Fanie told them to keep an eye on the snake until he arrived. From the description they had given him, Fanie knew that the snake he would be dealing with was a Southern African Python.

Also read: Watch Video: Mommy, there’s a snake on the stoep – 5.29-metre Python found near Ladysmith

He arrived at the scene just after 5.30pm on Tuesday afternoon and the Majola family pointed to the snake “lurking” near a tree.

Within a matter of seconds, Fanie had the snake under his control.

The frightened children scattered in all directions as Fanie walked back to the house with the snake. It was indeed a Southern African Python; a female that measured a whopping 3.96 metres.

Fanie explained that over-hunting is the reason the snake was so close to the home. People in the area have taken away the snake’s natural food source, so it was going after domesticated animals such as goats and chickens.

Fanie says the “beautiful” snake was safely released at Nambithi Conservation Game Reserve. This python is the 214th he has removed over a short period of time.

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