Durban snake rescuer Nick Evans ‘transitioned’ from a human to an aardvark so he could remove a southern African python from under a public staircase in an undisclosed location.
Last week, Evans was called to remove the barely visible python through the gaps of the stairs.
“A quick assessment drew me to the conclusion that digging it out would be the easiest, logistically and fastest way of extracting it. Especially considering it was soft sand. So I was handed a spade, and the digging began.”
Evans said eventually he made his ‘burrow’ which was big enough for him to crawl into and had some space to get up on his knees.
“The python was wedged in, but once I started removing the sand from underneath it, first with a spade and then my hands, it had lost its safe space,” Evans said.
“I tried pulling the python out, but that wasn’t working well. They’re incredibly powerful.
“Suddenly, though, the python turned and moved straight towards me.”
Evans said it was not in ‘attack mode’.
Evans explained that the python tried getting out the other end but failed. It knew it could not stay in there with a human, and that its only way out was behind him, so that’s where it was determined to go.
Anticipating such a scenario, Evans wore his cap under the stairs.
“I don’t want to try and reach for a python’s head face-on. I didn’t want those rows of needle-like teeth in my hand,” Evans said.
“So, I simply put my cap over its face, which didn’t stop it from moving forward, and grabbed it by the neck. That was surprisingly successful!”
Evans said it was a large male, 3.1 metres long.
“Don’t see many male pythons over 3m,” Evans said.
He said the snake’s smooth skin prevented it from being covered in sand, unlike him, he was covered.
Evans said that after putting the snake in a box and getting ready to walk back to his car, someone asked him where his flip-flops were.
“I closed my eyes for a second out of frustration. After digging that sand out for the python, I now had to dig through it again, this time to find my slops! Luckily a bystander offered to help, now that the snake was gone.”
Evans said the snake was released far from the stairs.
“The southern African python is a protected species. It may not be killed, sold, eaten, kept as a pet, or relocated without a permit/permission from authorities.
“Just like monitor lizards,” Evans added.
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