DURBAN - A video of a python living under rocks at Wilson’s Wharf in Durban is causing a stir among social media users with many hailing it for sorting out the rat problem in the area.
Preshen Naidoo posted the video of the python on Facebook on Monday, and captioned it: “Howit guys......last night at Wilson wharf when Jason and I was fishing we came across a python about 2 / 2.5m long that live in the rocks.....when your guys are fishing please be vigilant and safe.....let your family know.....when they kids are playing on the rocks” (sic)
His post received over 200 reactions, 240 comments and was shared 150 times.
Before snake catcher Jason Arnold identified the snake as a pet ball python, there were comments about the snake taking care of the rat problem in the area.
Zoheb Moosa: “I have fished at Yacht Mole almost my entire life and only recently have I not seen rats around... About 2 years ago, there were so many rats that if you left your bait on the ground, they would eat it. Seems like this beautiful creature is doing us a good service and keeping the place rat free!!!”
Jüstin Kleynhans: “Don't harm the snakes in those rocks, they are there to feed on the wild rats that infest the harbour. God bless”
Others were concerned about the snake being killed because it may have been miss identified.
Vishnu Naidoo: “It wouldn’t harm anyone..but it’s a good idea to call a snake catcher (Simon Keys or Nick Evans), to relocate it, before someone harms or kills it.”
Shenalia Jamwanth: “False identification will get this poor thing killed!! It is a ball python - someone's escaped pet.”
Arnold and others identified the snake as a ball python. Arnold asked where Naidoo had spotted the snake because he was pretty sure he had seen the same pictures months back when it was sighted by someone.
“ This is an escaped or released pet Ball Python. Saw similar pics (if not the exact same pics) months ago about this sighting”, he said.
Replying to another post, Arnold said: “No, it's an exotic Ball Python as David has pointed out. Some kid obviously took his pet snake on a trip there and it must have escaped between the rocks”
Others confirmed that it was a ball python, someone even said they had one too.
Arnold could not be reached for comment by the time of publication.
Daily News