Python sebae caught in fishing net - Angola

[Warren Klein]

This morning at about 10:00am I received a call out to help a local fisherman who had caught a large snake in his fishing net. The fisherman had set his gill net across a channel of a tributary in the mouth of the Congo river the night before. This morning when the fisherman come back to check his net, he was surprised to find that his net had been dragged through the mangroves onto land and that he had caught more than what he had bargained for. Fortunately his net was set only about 100m away from one of our companies floating jetties and he was able to paddle out on his dugout canoe to bring the message to us. When I arrived at the location of the fisherman’s net he was quite nervous and told me that the snake was about 9m long and that my snake sac was too small!! I know from experience to always expect the snake to be at least half as big as what was reported but I’m always hopeful to find a true giant. A snake half of 9m was still quite a big snake. We pushed through a muddy narrow path in the dense mangroves and saw that the fishing net had been pulled almost in a straight line for about 30m until we got to a point where the fisherman would not go any further. In the tangle of gill net was indeed a large African python but alas, more like 4m rather than 9m. I was pleased to find that the net had not yet cut into the pythons flesh and I was luckily able to free the snake without having to cut the fisherman valuable net. We will often replace locals nets if they have to cut them to free a sea turtle for example but I'm currently out of stock and replacement net are hard to come by here in Soyo. There is a good chance that the fisherman would have just killed the python if it were smaller and less intimidating.





















As this poor girl spent the night dragging a gill net through the mangroves, I thought it was best to let her relax and recover in our holding facility and record measurements and other data in a day or two. I will get back to you to confirm her actually length and weight, I’m just happy that she is alive and unharmed.

Regards
W. Klein

[kfc223]

Wow man!

You always post great topics!

She has a nice size on her and looks very nice! Glad you saved this girl.

[Fooble]

Talk about down and dirty!

Great Save man Well done!

[LeonDeLange]

Awesome well done! Croc Dundee! Great save Warren!

[Kennyakagera]

Amazing Warren
So lucky they didn't kill it
Keep us update on her size !!!
I bet on .......... 3.5 m !!
cheers

[jka]

Great posts yet again!

[Warren Klein]

Thanks everyone. She is lying in a loose coil this morning and seems fine after her ordeal in the the gill net.

[Westley Price]

Wow, I never realized what MASSIVE difference between sebae and natalensis until I saw these pics. I have seen the difference in some other pictures, but it's VERY apparent from your pics.

The head almost looks like a Burmese!

Thanx for sharing and great rescue.

[Smeegle]

Awesome save! I bet not even Chuck Norris could have done that!

[Bushviper]

Great story.

I would like to guess the length as well. 3.6 metres?

[shadowfoot]

Great save man, well done for saving such a beautiful snake.
Seeing as some are guessing size, I would say 3.3m?

[Warren Klein]

You're right westley, some specimens look quite different to our southern pythons and this girls has a lot of bright yellow in her too.

Anymore length guesses?? Going to measure her today.

[Westley Price]

I think you guys are underestimating; I'd go for 3.8m.

[Hoss]

I'm just impressed that you managed to free the python without having to cut the net! I sometimes struggle just to loosen my shoelaces at night.

[Daniellouw]

THAT IS BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!