THE MERCURY (Durban, S Africa) 13 January 05 Slithery thief has his goose cooked (Zukile Majova)
A police officer nabbed a burglar of a slithery kind this week - but not before it had devoured his pet goose.
Captain Lourens Feyt, of the South African Police Service Umzimkhulu Area Logistics Component in Port Shepstone, was upset when he awoke to find an African Rock Python had swallowed his fully-grown goose, Tweedle Dee.
After the wholesome meal, the python tried to snake its way out of the chicken coop past the wire mesh through which he had entered, but got stuck by his swollen belly.
Feyt grabbed hold of its tail and pulled it free and, with the help of a colleague, Constable Shawn Bailey, managed to load it on to his bakkie.
The python regurgitated the bird in the back of the bakkie, before slithering about looking for a way of escape.
Police spokesperson Vincent Pandaram said the reptile was taken to the Pure Venom Snake Park in Shelley Centre, Port Shepstone, where it was to be fed and looked after, until an injury at the corner of its mouth had healed.
"There are plans to hand him to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife authorities who will set him free in the wilderness of the Oribi Gorge," he said.
The Feyt family are now concerned about Tweedle Dum, the partner of Tweedle Dee, who is missing his companion and has gone into a state of depression.
Jeff Gaisford, of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, commended the two police officers for not killing the python because it is a member of a protected species.
"Often someone who has lost a chicken because a python has swallowed it will kill it out of anger," he said.
"Some might also kill it and sell it for muti.
"We want to appeal to people to report sightings of these reptiles to the police so that they can be captured and released in a safe place by conservation officials."
Gaisford said anybody who knew of people who traded in pythons should report such criminal activity to the police.
Slithery thief has his goose cooked