I had to laugh at this picture (found on Facebook) of an African rock python that was discovered inside the engine compartment of a car in or near the Kruger National Park in South Africa. The link was provided by reader Siphiwe S., to whom my thanks.
Remember that in the Southern Hemisphere, winter's setting in at present, so the nights are getting colder. Pythons (and other snakes) have been known to climb up into warm vehicle engine compartments at night to enjoy the heat, and are sometimes found inside in the morning, particularly in rural areas; so this picture doesn't surprise me at all. I've found a snake in my own vehicle's engine compartment under similar circumstances, although it wasn't nearly as big as that one! (Of course, the African rock python is the biggest snake in Africa. It's pretty large by the standards of other continents as well.)
No word on whether the snake was allowed to leave in its own good time, or ended up as a snack over the coals. (Pythons aren't bad eating. They taste like - yes, you guessed it - chicken!)
Peter
I've never had python, but Western Mountain Diamond Back Rattlesnakes taste like catfish to me. And I eat 3-6 of them a year, since I kill them in my yard to keep them away from my kids and dogs.
ReplyDeleteLong SKINNY chicken :-)
ReplyDeleteThe python was removed by the driver of the car and released into safety - apparently very lazy and relaxed.
ReplyDelete