Snake catcher Sarel bags a five-metre python, Africa’s largest snake

A rock python measuring more than five metres in length was caught on Sunday, January 4, at a dam at Banner’s Rest in Port Edward, South Coast Herald reports.

The South Coast’s famed snake catcher, Sarel van der Merwe was called out to catch this beauty after a farmer noticed his chickens and duck had mysteriously disappeared.

READ MORE: WATCH: Four-metre python saved from becoming supper

The farmer was also worried that one of his small dogs would be the python’s next snack.

Sarel said he searched for the snake for a hour before he saw its shadow and head pop up in the dam, and that when he grabbed it with grab stick. “I was just lucky to have nabbed him,” Sarel admitted.

“The dam is the perfect habitat for a python to live in and they usually move into these sorts of areas to look for food,” he said.

Thanks to the combined efforts of Sarel and folk from The Pont, the snake was released into a bushy area further up the Umtamvuna River, away from human habitation.

This is Sarel’s second catch in the last two weeks.

He caught a much smaller rock python that had managed to get itself stuck in a rabbit cage on a farm in the Oribi Gorge area after it had eaten two baby rabbits for breakfast.

A few days ago, Sarel was called out rather late, 11.45pm to be exact, to help remove a black mamba. But, it turned out the snake was a harmless red-lipped herald.

“I was in my pajamas that’s why there area no pics of the snake and I,” Sarel joked.

Sarel pointed out that this snake is not harmful to man, so you are encouraged not to kill them.

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