File picture of a rescued python

Sept. 23: An Indian rock python, which had strayed into a temple, was rescued by members of the People for Animals (PFA) from Nilachal Hill early this morning.

The chairperson of PFA’s state unit, Sangeeta Goswami, said the snake measured four feet in length and weighed around 50kg.

The PFA is a voluntary organisation working for the protection of animals.

She said some devotees spotted the python on the stairs of the Bogola Temple near Kamakhya last night.

The sighting of the python triggered panic in the area.

“One of the devotees, who happens to be an animal lover, informed us about the incident late last night and requested us to rescue the python. A team of our members, accompanied by our trained snake catcher Ujjal Ranjan, reached the spot and started the rescue operation early this morning,” Goswami said.

By that time, a crowd had gathered to get a glimpse of the snake and some of them even tried to scare it away.

However, PFA members prevented anyone from harming the frightened snake and caught it after about half-an-hour’s struggle.

“The python was later released in a forest near Nilachal Hill, We hope that it will survive,” she said.

Two species of pythons are found in India. Both the species — the Indian rock python and the Burmese python — are placed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).

Schedule I of the act provides absolute protection to the species and prescr- ibes highest penalties for offences.

The Indian rock python lives in scrub forests and dense jungles. They grow to 6 metres in length and are heavy bodied, smooth snakes with a brown blotchy pattern much like that of the common sand boa.

Goswami said there was a sizeable population of Indian rock pythons in and around the city but their number was declining fast with rapid expansion. “Sometimes people kill them out of fear and sometimes for meat,” she added.

She said the forest department should play a role in creating public awareness to protect pythons.