African Rock Python (Python Sebae)

While on holiday in Zimbabwe, some years ago , we offered a lift to a park ranger. He had found a large rock python on communal land and since the snake is protected he was afraid the locals would kill it.

Imagine my wifes face when he jumped in the back of the car and opened the sack for her to see inside. Much merryment and mirth on my part and an uncertain nervousness on hers.

The snake was later released on park land

[BabyRider]

Originally Posted by Valerie100

It just goes to show how nature is delicately balanced -- good and evil, peaceful and harmful.

A) there is no "good" or "evil" in nature. Things just are the way they are. Would you call a lion evil for stalking and killing an antelope? No. There's nothing evil about it.

B) As hideous as the picture looks, the snake probably didn't feel much of anything. It struck the fence and then never moved another muscle. Looks like he went pretty quick to me. I doubt he suffered at all.

I disagree. The snake was most likely caught under an electrified wire due to its large meal, and tried to defend itself against the object that was causing pain. When it tried to strike a wire, its jaws were caught. Electricity most likely caused it's heart to stop after both wires in its mouth jolted the sh*t out of the poor guy. Most states stopped death by electrocution because it was deemed too cruel. This wasn't an easy death.

[Accountable]

Originally Posted by SnoozeControl

I disagree. The snake was most likely caught under an electrified wire due to its large meal, and tried to defend itself against the object that was causing pain. When it tried to strike a wire, its jaws were caught. Electricity most likely caused it's heart to stop after both wires in its mouth jolted the sh*t out of the poor guy. Most states stopped death by electrocution because it was deemed too cruel. This wasn't an easy death.

You have a heart of gold, Snooze.

[BabyRider]

Originally Posted by SnoozeControl

I disagree. The snake was most likely caught under an electrified wire due to its large meal, and tried to defend itself against the object that was causing pain. When it tried to strike a wire, its jaws were caught. Electricity most likely caused it's heart to stop after both wires in its mouth jolted the sh*t out of the poor guy. Most states stopped death by electrocution because it was deemed too cruel. This wasn't an easy death.

If you look at the picture, you'll see there are no marks along the ground to indicate the snake thrashed around at all. He is stuck in a perfect pose, frozen at the moment of impact of his strike. He hit the fence, he struck, he was zapped and died pretty quickly. Unlike a whole bunch of other ways to go in the wild, like being gored by a hippo or disemboweled by a lion. Nah, I doubt this snake suffered.