WATCH: Port Edward’s dog-eating python rehomed

Emile Rencken (40) was kind enough to help remove the Southern African python, commonly known as a ‘rock python’, which was trapped on the veranda of a resident’s home in Port Edward yesterday (Thursday). 

When Emile grabbed the snake it still had a ‘lump in it’s body’ indicating it had, sadly, eaten the resident’s dog.

“I grabbed the python, but it immediately wanted to regurgitate its food. So I quickly put the snake down, so it could regurgitate it, and then I picked it up again and put it into the sack.”

About two months ago, residents reported that they had lost two dogs to the python.

Emile has been catching snakes around Port Edward since the age of 12. He has worked on movie sets catching snakes, and has a great passion for the reptiles.

He now lives in Palm Beach, and most locals know he will come fetch snakes.

“Everyone was calling me that morning, so shame, I just went and fetched the python together with the help of my wife, Tamryn-Jade. My son, Cooper-Jon (5) took the video,” he said.

He released the python measuring just under four metres at Umtamvuna Nature Reserve. “I’ve let go many, many snakes, including black mambas, in the reserve and now this python can be with all his mates from town.”

“I’ve caught a lot of snakes on farms or in and around town and released them in the reserve – so I know there are a lot of snakes living in the reserve. Sometimes a python will get into a chicken cage, eat two or three chickens and then not be able to get out again,” he said.

Emile said it’s important that the python (and dangerous snakes) are released far from humans as possible, especially this python that seems to have developed a habit of eating dogs.

Interestingly, male pythons can weigh up to 44kg and reach up to 4.25m in length; whereas the females can weigh up to 55kg and reach 5.0m in length.

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