Phuket rescue team kept busy with surge in reptile sightings
Rescue workers at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation branch in Wichit Municipality (DDPM-Wichit), Phuket, have been kept busy with a surge in reptile sightings. Even before the onset of the rainy season, the task of managing the movement of these creatures has become a daily routine.
Yesterday, a massive python and a baby monitor lizard were captured in Soi Thepanusorn. The first call for assistance came early, at 9am, when a small monitor lizard had managed to sneak into a local’s house in Moo 4, Wichit. With the help of poles and loops, the officials successfully restrained the reptile and released it into the wild.
Later in the day at 3.30pm, another call for help was made from the same area. This time, the creature was a python measuring over two metres. Similar to the previous case, the snake was safely captured and subsequently released into the wild.
These reptile-related incidents have marked a busy week for the DDPM-Wichit team. The flurry of activity began on Monday when they were called to a residential area to catch a snake that had burrowed under a water tank in a resident’s yard, reported The Phuket News.
DDPM-Wichit highlighted that it operates three centres that are open 24 hours a day for emergencies or if residents require assistance. These centres can be contacted to report instances like a large snake intrusion or to report wildfires.
In related news, a 2-metre long crocodile weighing 30 kilogrammes sent villagers in Huay Yai Village, East Pattaya into panic as it casually sunbathed by Taklom Fishing Pond on February 4.
Locals and news crews flocked to capture the unexpected visitor on video, showcasing the reptile’s playful antics and its remarkable evasive skills during capture attempts.
The owner of Taklom Fishing Pond, 56 year old Kan Jantaravichian revealed that this wasn’t the first crocodile sighting in the area, with a similar incident causing concern just a year ago.
