Xanet Scheepers

By Xanet Scheepers

Digital Lifestyle Editor


WATCH: Massive python stuffed from ‘R8000 meal’

Last week, farmworkers in the Camperdown area in KwaZulu-Natal were horrified when they stumbled upon a large python wrestling with one of their goats.


Bobbie Scott, who lives on a farm in the Zeerust area in North West, shared incredible footage on Facebook of a large python stuffed to capacity from eating a calf.

“Just for the record. That’s an R8000 meal she had,” Scott shared on the Snakes of Southern Africa Facebook group.

Last week, farmworkers in the Camperdown area in KwaZulu-Natal were horrified when they stumbled upon a large python wrestling with one of their goats.

Picture: Kyle Smith, Filmshark

According to snake rescuer Nick Evans, who was called to the scene, the workers heard a goat screaming before going to investigate, only to find a goat’s legs up in the air, protruding out of the long grass.

However, the snake wasn’t able to enjoy its meal as it couldn’t swallow the goat past its horns, Evans said.

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Johan Marais from the African Snakebite Institute told The Citizen that large pythons routinely ate large meals. “For a python to eat a large meal like a calf or goat will take around two weeks to digest whereas a mamba needs about three days to digest a rat.”

Scott assured those concerned for the snake’s safety that it was not in any danger. He also promised to keep the group updated regarding the pythons’ movement and food digestion.

Watch the video below

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Update: Bobbie Scott informed The Citizen this morning (11 February 2021) that the 5 metre python unfortunately was not able to digest her expensive meal and died. “We were still waiting for Nature conservation to come and get the snake, but unfortunately it passed away the next day. The snake ate a newborn cow calf. It did not come out unfortunately.” 

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