While summer brings enjoyment, trips to the beach, and fun in the sun, it also brings insects into our homes and more dangerously, in some parts of the country, slithering snakes into our yard.
In an unfortunate event that occurred in the North West province, a 4.1 metre-long python (weighing 30 kilograms) is said to have swallowed a pitbull.
Charlotte Molefe, from Bethanie in Brits, told a local publication, Kormorant, that a worker heard the dog crying in pain. Investigating the strange sounds, the worker saw that the snake had swallowed the dog.
Calling the police for assistance, Charlotte was then given the contact details of Jac-Louis Horn from Critter Chronicles. The python spat the dog out when it was caught. However, according to a comment made on Critter Chronicles’ Facebook account regarding the incident, the dog did not make it.
The snake was then safely relocated to Pilanesberg Nature Reserve.
Not long after containing the snake, Jac-Louis received a call from another farm. The concerned caller shared that another python – 3.8 metres in length – had caught a goat. Fortunately for the goat, the python did not have enough time to swallow it as Jac-Louis and his team arrived at the location before it was able to do so.
The second python was also relocated to Pilanesberg Nature Reserve.
Jac-Louis also told Kormorant that it was a rare occurrence for him to come into contact with such large pythons as the average length of a South African python is approxiamately three metres.
Also see: How to prep your yard for gardening
