A Southern African python was rescued from the ocean approximately 2.5km offshore of Durban during a weekend fishing competition, in an unusual incident that has raised questions about how the reptile ended up at sea.
The discovery was made on Saturday by Dwayne Boshoff and his father while participating in the event. The pair initially noticed a large object floating in the water near the Durban beachfront, close to the harbour. On closer inspection, they identified it as a python.
Acting quickly, the two manoeuvred their boat alongside the animal. Despite having no formal snake-handling training, Boshoff was able to lift the python out of the water and secure it on board. The snake was placed in a storage hatch typically used for fish.
Local snake rescuer Nick Evans was contacted shortly thereafter and arranged to meet the fishermen when they returned to shore. However, due to the boat’s design and sea conditions, it could not be brought directly onto the beach. Evans and a colleague entered the water and made their way to the vessel to retrieve the animal.
The rescue required transferring the python into a secure container before swimming it back to shore. Witnesses gathered on the beach as the team emerged from the surf with the animal.
The python, estimated to be at least 2.5 metres in length and identified as a male, appeared to be in stable condition. As a precaution, it was rinsed with fresh water and placed in an enclosure with access to drinking water. It will be monitored before being released into a suitable habitat.
The circumstances that led to the python being so far offshore remain unclear. Possible explanations include the animal being transported inadvertently on a boat during the competition or entering the ocean via a river system along the north coast and drifting south in the current.
(Source: Nick Evans)
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