THE MERCURY (Durban, S Africa) 18 May 05 Baby snakes ensure python's survival (Keith Ross)
Park owners have decided to release 20 African rock pythons, an endangered species, into the wild. They will be electronically tagged and their progress will be monitored. Report compiled by Keith Ross
A huge African rock python - heavy with eggs - brought to a South Coast snake park has proved a blessing for the conservation of this endangered species in the area.
The python laid 40 eggs after its arrival at the Pure Venom park near Shelly Beach and all have hatched successfully.
The park's owners decided to release 20 of the pythons into the wild and the first five are already in the Oribi Gorge Conservancy.
"We also released two adult pythons in the gorge at the same time," said a spokesman for Pure Venom, Nadia Moolman.
"We will release another seven of the young pythons in a couple of weeks.
"It is absolutely wonderful having all these pythons. We will probably release 20 of them."
Moolman said the plight of African rock pythons on the South Coast was quite desperate.
"People burn the sugar cane and destroy the pythons' habitat. The pythons are hunted illegally and killed for muti.
"That is why they are endangered. Probably only 3% or 4% of rock pythons survive to maturity."
Moolman said the pythons released in the gorge had been electronically tagged and their progress in the wild would be monitored.
"They will soon go into hibernation for the winter. We will probably monitor their progress in about September."
She said the mother python had been brought to Pure Venom from a rural area after one of the park's workers had persuaded the local people not to kill it.
"We often pay for snakes, just to stop people killing them."
Baby snakes ensure python's survival