Durban snake catcher Nick Evans was delighted his educational efforts about snakes paid off after a team from Working for Water came across a southern African python and decided to protect it and help it.
FreeMe Wildlife said that deep in the Umkomaas Valley near Richmond, a team from Working for Water came across a very large snake, a southern African python that had trouble moving.
FreeMe Wildlife, which works to enrich lives, said that the same team had done a snake course with Evans and they were concerned that this snake seemed to have trouble moving and what they should do.
“They decided to be proactive, bundle the snake into a maize bag, and carry it out of the valley to someone who could assist, that happened to be Terry Tedder,” Evans said.
The non-profit organisation said that Tedder then contacted FreeMe Wildlife to assist, and drove the snake all the way to Hilton, where they met.
Durban snake catcher Nick Evans said that it was special to see educational efforts pay off.
“I spoke to this team about snakes a few years ago. They were so concerned for this snake's well-being and did everything they could to help,” Evans said.
Evans thanked Terry for transporting the python and to FreeMe Wildlife for not hesitating in looking after the snake.
FreeMe Wildlife said it needed X-rays done on the snake. Therefore they called on Dr Diana Foden of Aragon Veterinary Clinic in Nottingham Road. Foden has a mobile X-ray unit and she drove in the mist and rain all the way to FreeMe Wildlife in Howick to assist with this case.
X-rays revealed a fracture in a single vertebrae and one rib. Most likely caused by a blow to the snake's body. It was a small injury and what caused the snake to be immobile. The snake is expected to recover with time and rest.
FreeMe Wildlife said that before the X-rays, they found a large superficial wound on the neck, not too bad, but still ... something was not quite right with this python.
It said it had no idea what size the snake was inside the bag it was transported in, but it turned out to be almost 50kg in weight.
After the snake slowly unfurled from the bundle, it turned out to be a 4.24m long magnificent female southern African python.
“But something was not quite right... she did not even put up a fight, and from a meter behind her head, her body seemed ‘dead’,” FreeMe Wildlife said.
FreeMe Wildlife added that they love what they do and how they do it. However, they cannot do it alone.
Please visit their website for ideas on how you can help: www.freemewildlife.org/support-us
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