ON Saturday, August 7, a taxi driver in South Beach got the shock of his life when he found an African Rock Python hiding in his taxi engine! He immediately contacted snake catcher Nick Evans who reached out to the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), based in South Beach, and a team rushed over to the jarred taxi driver to execute a rescue.
According to uShaka Sea World herpetologist Leslie Labuschagne, it was not a difficult rescue. “This was a cold day. The animal was curled up on the engine block where it was nice and warm. The rescue was a quick process.”
Labuschagne says that African Rock Pythons are indigenous to Southern Africa and have always been here. “African Rock Pythons are found in and around Durban. They are typically found around bushes. Their ideal habitat comprises of places that have a nearby water source, trees to climb, and a food source – like areas that are home to dassies.”
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The herpetologist says that the uShaka Sea World Animal Health team soon noticed that the animal had an injury in the form of a small mass on the lateral side of the spine. “After noticing the injury, the uShaka Sea World Animal Health team were consulted. Initial treatment was comprised of a broad-spectrum antibiotic. The growth did not go down. The decision was then made to perform the surgery to remove the growth. A sample of this was collected and has been sent off for further testing.”
Watch as the African Rock Python ‘Taxi’ receives life-saving surgery from the uShaka Marine World Marine Health team below:
The surgery was carried out last week, and Labuschange says that so far, the rehabilitation for the snake, who has been affectionately named Taxi, is going very well. “The surgery site is looking neat and is healing well. The stitches are dissolvable and are being monitored regularly, but the time for this varies with reptiles. The animal is not on any antibiotics any longer,” she said.
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“Once the fortunate snake has fully recovered, it will be released at the discretion of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. The team would like to thank the taxi driver for his bravery,” she concluded.
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