MERSING: A 100-kg python, which had just swallowed a dog, was caught by the Civil Defence Force (APM) at a vegetable farm near Pekan Jemaluang, on Tuesday.
Mersing district APM officer, Nurnajibah Abdullah, said the department was contacted by the Jemaluang police station on the discovery of the reptile around 9am.
“Six APM personnel, assisted by two policemen went to the site. We brought along snake-catching equipment after being told that the snake was considerably large.
“Efforts to catch it proved difficult as it was hidden in a drain. However, the snake did not offer much resistance probably due to fatigue as it had just swallowed a dog as its meal earlier,” he said.
He said the personnel took around 30 minutes to catch the snake. They used smoke to prompt it to emerge from its hiding place before placing it in a cage.
He said the python, at seven-metre long, is the largest they have caught so far in Mersing. The previous record holder was a 50kg python.
“The snake will be handed over to the Wildlife Department for further action.
“I advise the public not to take matters into their own hands if they encounter such forms of wildlife.”
Get the latest World Cup 2018 scores, highlights and updates from our dedicated World Cup page