Kendrapada: Forest officials rescued a 14.6-foot Burmese python from a house in Barakilokhola village within Mahakalapada forest range of Kendrapada district’s Bhitarkanika National Park on Wednesday night.House owner Madhab Samant spotted the python and raised an alarm, following which many villagers rushed to the spot and informed the forest officials.Mahakalapada forest range officer Santanu Dalai said they released the reptile in the nearby forest after rescuing it. It is not unusual to find such a python in villages near the forest, as it is home to hundreds of pythons, added Dalai.He further said that pythons are normally not considered dangerous to humans, even though large specimens are powerful enough to kill an adult and attacks are occasionally reported.“We are trying to raise awareness among villagers not to harm snakes and other reptiles if they happen to make an appearance in your neighbourhood. All creatures big and small are part of our ecosystem and critical to the environment,” said the forest officer.Villagers, however, were awestruck by the sheer size of the reptile, with many even clicking pictures with the python after it was caught.A villager, Ranjan Mandal, said it was big enough to swallow a man.Meanwhile, wildlife activists expressed concern.“Frequent incidents of pythons venturing out of the jungle are a matter of concern. It means the natural resources are gradually depleting. Many snakes often stray into villages in search of food. Snakes of these areas include the poisonous king cobra, banded krait, common krait, bamboo snake and blue krait, though 80% are non-poisonous, because of which it is easy for the snake charmers to catch them,” said Sudhansu Parida, the secretary of the district unit of a animals’ welfare outfit.
