At 7am on Sunday morning, a 42-year-old expat walking his dog on a trail near Sai Kung’s Tso Wo Hang Village came across a magnificent four-metre-long Burmese python lounging on top of a grave.
Worried that it might slither into nearby homes, he called the police immediately, reports the Oriental Press.
When the police arrived, they sadly found the python injured and bleeding as it appeared someone had thrown a 15-by-25-centimetre rock onto its head. The rock was so heavy that the snake was pinned down and unable to free itself.
The police suspect that someone deliberately tried to attack the python (#noshit).
Hong Kong’s resident snake catcher Dave Willott came to the rescue, removing the rock and placing the animal into a bag.
First the python was taken to the Sai Kung police station, after which it was taken to the Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden to be treated by a vet.
Because the snake’s belly was swollen, it is believed that it had just eaten a meal before getting attacked. Let’s hope it wasn’t anyone’s dog.
Under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance, it is illegal to capture or harm Burmese pythons. The crime is punishable by a fine of HKD100,000 and one year’s imprisonment.
Photo: Oriental Press
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