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A large python was found dead along Old Upper Thomson Road on Wednesday night (October 28), just days after it was seen alive and kicking.
Stomper Christian bassett said he first saw the snake, which was more than four meters long, on the side of the road on Saturday night (October 24).
It was around 1 a.m. and he was excited about the sighting, prompting him to take photos and videos of the creature.
The nature enthusiast, who runs a YouTube channel documenting Singapore’s wildlife and biodiversity, said: “The snake was huge. Pythons of this size are rarely seen here in Singapore as they are normally only between two and three meters long. “
“It was indeed a magnificent specimen.
“I took some pictures, then encouraged him to get off the road and back into the forest a bit. Unfortunately, I found many dead snakes in the past that had been unnecessarily killed by people. I didn’t want this magnificent animal to experience the same fate.
“On Wednesday night, I was walking the same route when I found the snake again in ambush position in the drain.
“The snake was unmistakable because of its immense size. I was so glad to see her again and started taking photos. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the snake was dead.
“On closer inspection, it appeared that his head had received a terrible blow, perhaps killing him instantly. You can see what looks like a dent in his skull with internal bleeding and obvious bruising.
“I think the killing happened just hours before I found the python. There was almost no leaf litter on the snake, and it had fresh blood around its mouth and head.
“I was deeply saddened and angry seeing this. To think what kind of person would kill such a magnificent and fantastic creature for no reason. Snakes will never hurt anyone if left alone.”
Christian also shared photos of the snake’s corpse. Close-up images show the reptile with a bruised and bloody head.
Christian told Stomp: “The same snake was still fine and healthy when I saw it near the same spot with my friends on Saturday.
“This is terribly sad, especially since it is a huge python by Singaporean standards.
“Unfortunately, this is not the first dead python that I have found that has been killed by humans.
“People kill snakes often out of ignorance and misunderstandings. Actually, it is the snakes that should fear humans, not the other way around.
“People do not need to fear snakes; they will never annoy or attack humans, as people give them space and admire them from a distance. If you stay on designated paths, you will not step on a snake by mistake either. It will only bite if it feels threatened.
The Stomper, who created his YouTube channel with the primary goal of raising awareness of nature in Singapore to help preserve and protect it, added: “After experiencing this tragic story, I really wanted to do something to try to help educate the people over the snakes and Stop this senseless slaughter of these wonderful creatures.
“It is necessary to draw attention to this terrible fact that is all too common in Singapore.”
Christian also advised members of the public to avoid providing the location of rare or exotic wildlife when posting stories and photos of sightings.
He said: “People had photographed the snake earlier in the week and given the location of where it was, which naturally drew people to the area to look for it.”
“Not sharing the exact location of such sightings would really help protect these animals and prevent hordes of people from descending on them.”
Stomper Juan, who also alerted Stomp to the incident, similarly said that the python was “definitely 100 percent killed by humans.”
He added: “No other animal would be able to kill a snake of this size. Its head was crushed and its body rotted.”
In response to Stomp’s inquiries, the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (Acres) said it learned of the incident through Facebook posts from members of the public.
Kalai Vanan, Deputy Executive Director of Acres, said: “It is regrettable that this beautiful specimen was not only found dead, but was dead in a nature reserve.”
“Based on the photos of the carcass, we can only make an educated guess that the python, a protected wildlife, died from abuse rather than a vehicle accident.
“The wounds / bruises are mostly prominent on his head and 1/4 of his body, an indication that someone could have used a weapon / object to hit the snake and kill it.
“The python was believed to be taller than 3.5 m, making it an adult specimen in Singapore.
“We understand that the National Parks Board (NParks) recovered the body and is investigating the incident. We hope that the perpetrators will be caught and treated.”
Acres is also seeking information and eyewitnesses to the incident.
Kalai added: “We would like to remind everyone that snakes are protected wildlife and are a precious part of our biodiversity.”
Members of the public who see a snake or any endangered wildlife are urged to contact Acres’s 24-hour rescue hotline at 97837782 or NParks.
Lamenting the loss of the snake, Christian said, “Rest in peace, magnificent python.”
Stomp has contacted NParks for more information.
See more photos of the python in the gallery. Pictures 2-4 show the snake alive, while pictures 5-11 show its corpse in the drain.
