A 10-foot python rescued in Sohna

GURUGRAM: A 10-foot Indian Rock Python was rescued by wildlife officials from a village behind the KR Mangalam University campus in Sohna on Friday. The male python, according to a wildlife official, weighs around 15kg, and is around three years old.

"The python might have come from the Aravalis, which is situated close to the Sohna village," said Anil Gandas, an environmental activist, who is working on the wildlife in the Aravalis. "Villagers gathered in the area after the python was spotted by one of them. We informed a few wildlife enthusiasts who immediately reached the spot, rescued the serpent and handed it over to the wildlife rescue team," said Bimal Singh, a resident.

After keeping it under observation for a few hours, the python was released into Sultanpur National Park by the wildlife officials. "The python is very healthy. There were no injury marks on it. We, therefore, released it into the Sultanpur National Park," said an official who was part of the wildlife rescue operation team that reached the spot.

Activists said while around eight pythons were rescued from Gurgaon so far this year, four pythons were rescued from the city in 2016. "During the monsoon, we have rescued over eight pythons from several areas in Gurgaon. While last year, only four were rescued. This shows that the Aravalis is being encroached," said Gandas.

Talking about the behaviour of Indian Rock Python, Raksha Singh, a wildlife enthusiast, said, "We are witnessing so many python sightings in villages as green cover in the Aravalis is drastically shrinking. The rock python are spotted very often in this area. Their sightings are not new."

The rock python is non-venomous, and it can be easily identified by its large size, dark irregular patches, pinkish head and slow locomotion. This year pythons have been rescued from Patuadi, Sohna, Ghata, Baliyawas, Faridabad, Raisina village and Ghamroj.

Indian Rock Pythons are threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Python has been listed in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.