Cenro chief: Leave snakes to authorities

RESIDENTS should avoid attempting to capture snakes they may find in their backyard; instead, they should contact authorities trained to handle them, according to an official of the Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro).

Mandaue City Cenro head Araceli Barlam said capturing snakes is dangerous for individuals without proper knowledge.

Barlam issued this statement following the discovery of a reticulated python, which is non-venomous and commonly known as “sawa” in the Philippines, on an electric post in Barangay Umapad, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.

This was the fourth snake found in Umapad in the past three months. The latest was captured alive by barangay personnel.

Barlam said the barangay has many open areas where snakes could potentially inhabit.

The captured python was turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Central Visayas’ Rescue Center for examination, which will determine its condition and length.

Barlam clarified that aside from Umapad, none of the remaining 26 barangays in the city had reported any snake sightings.

Power interruption

In a separate interview, Umapad Barangay Captain Reb “Biboy” Cortes said the snake was found on one of the electric posts in Sitio Kalubihan 1.

The snake caused a power interruption that lasted for about six hours, from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Thursday. It was believed that the snake caused the explosion of the post’s transformer where it coiled up.

Cortes said the vicinity around the post has an extensive coverage of trees and bushes, providing a suitable habitat for the snake. He believed that the snake came out possibly to hunt for food.

Cortes said the first snake was found in Purok Tamarind about three months ago.

A resident tried to pet it, but it was later turned over to the authorities since the owner ran out of food to sustain the snake. The snake was believed to be some kind of a house snake with a length of around two meters.

The second snake sighting was in Purok Tambis, where a two-meter reticulated python was also found in an area that has many trees and a small poultry sometime last week. It had already been turned over to the authorities.

Cortes said the third snake found last Wednesday, Feb. 14, also a reticulated python, was approximately two meters in length as well. He advised residents to refrain from killing snakes in their areas but to hand them over to the barangay for proper rescue procedures. This helps prevent possible contamination, especially if the snake is venomous.

Public health experts earlier said the disruption of habitats through deforestation has emerged as a crucial factor contributing to increased snake activity.

The health office also said successive snake sightings could be related to the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, climate change, and human interference with natural habitats.