Giant python makes for chilling winter sight
CAREFUL – this is no speed hump.
Six metres of muscle and scales, this giant female scrub python was the centre of attention when early morning travellers stumbled across her at Holloways Beach.
Reptile-lover Ben Walker was one of the first at the scene at Boronia Crescent.
“She was huge,” Mr Walker said.
“I saw a palm leaf on the road and then looked further on and thought ‘holy crap!’
“It is really not that often that you would see a python that large.”
He flagged down drivers, who slowed to give the reptile right of way.
The snake-lover and licensed owner — he has a couple of pythons himself — said the slow moving serpent was a rare find in winter months.
“For the past 14 years or so I have been going out looking for them,” Mr Walker said.
“You have to judge their mood.”
Not an activity for a novice, no doubt.
“She was as thick as my leg — it was pretty hard-core,” Mr Walker said.
With some well-meaning encouragement, the snake reluctantly crossed the road and out of harm’s way.
“She was really slow and didn’t want to go anywhere,” Mr Walker said.
“It looked like she came out of somebody’s backyard.”
It was last seen last week moving toward Pandanus Park.
“Hopefully no one had a cat or a dog nearby; that thing could take down a small croc or a kangaroo,” Mr Walker said.