A nearly 15-foot python was rescued after becoming trapped in a chili field net on St Martin’s Island, drawing crowds and prompting authorities to arrange its relocation to a safe habitat.
A nearly 15-foot-long python was found trapped in a net surrounding a chili field on Bangladesh’s St Martin’s Island on Friday morning, drawing crowds of curious residents and prompting plans for its safe relocation by authorities.
The incident occurred around 8:00 am in Ward No. 9 in the southern part of the island, according to local sources. The large reptile was discovered entangled in a protective net around a chili field at the home of local resident Musa Ali.
Musa Ali said he spotted the python trapped in the net in his yard and later rescued it with the help of local people. He estimated the snake’s length at around 15 feet and its weight between 20 and 25 kilograms. According to him, the python may be between three and five years old.
“The python has been roaming around nearby screw pine groves and surrounding bushes for a long time,” Musa Ali said. “People occasionally saw it in the area, but this is the first time it has been found trapped in a net. The snake is still alive.”
News of the capture quickly spread across the island, attracting a large number of onlookers. While some residents expressed concern over the size of the snake, others gathered out of curiosity.
Local resident Mohammad Sharif said the python’s unusually large size had created a stir in the area. He added that the animal was currently being kept safely under Musa Ali’s care.
The appearance of such a large python on St Martin’s Island has also sparked discussion among residents about how it arrived there.
Abul Kashem, another local resident, said the island lies only about eight kilometres west of the Myanmar coast. During the monsoon season, heavy rainfall in Myanmar’s hilly regions causes strong surges in the Naf, Mayu and Kaladan rivers. As a result, trees, bamboo groves and other floating debris are often carried by sea currents and deposited along the island’s shoreline.
Kashem said he believed the python may have reached St Martin’s Island after being swept away on a floating tree or bamboo cluster.
M A Sohag, an official of the Department of Environment in St Martin’s Island, said the python would be handed over to the relevant authorities once they arrived at the scene. He added that necessary measures would then be taken either to place the animal in safe conservation or release it into a suitable natural habitat.
