A 9-foot-long Indian Rock Python made its way to the parking lot of the Taj Mahal today in Agra, causing panic among locals, official said. The snake was spotted by construction workers in the western parking lot.
The police on duty immediately contacted the Wildlife SOS organisation which sent a team of its experts to rescue the snake.
After dispersing a crowd which had formed to catch a glimpse of the snake, the Wildlife SOS rescue team guided the reptile into a transport carrier and then released it into a suitable habitat after a thorough examination, officials said.
Ashok Kumar, Sub-Inspector of Agra, said: "Some of the workers had gone home and when they returned, one of them almost stepped on the snake. Luckily, no mishaps occurred and when they contacted us, we were able to get in touch with Wildlife SOS who came and got the whole rescue done very quickly."
Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS, said rescuing the huge snake was not an easy job as it was surrounded by a large crowd, who wanted to catch a glimpse of it. "We are very thankful that the authorities reached out to us in time before any untoward incident could take place. The police officers helped in controlling the excited crowd while our team focused on the rescue operation."
Baiju Raj MV, Director Conservation Projects, Wildlife SOS, said the python might have wandered out of the Taj Nature Walk green belt, which is home to a variety of wildlife species. "Although non-venomous, a python's bite can be injurious, so one has to be careful while carrying out such rescue operations. We have professionally trained rescuers who are experienced in handling snake rescues."
Python Meat Used As Alternate Animal Protein Source In Thailand Indonesian Woman Swallowed By Python Near Home, Husband Found Slipper, Pants Video: Social Media Abuzz After Video Shows Snake On Scooter Over 300 Indian Students Return Home As 105 Bangladeshis Die In Protests Bangladesh Imposes Curfew, Deploys Military As 105 Die In Protests "Jindal Group Executive Showed Porn, Groped Me On Flight": Woman To NDTV Global IT Chaos Persists, Flight Delays Expected Even Today: 10 Points Massive Global IT Crash Hits Airlines, Banks, Media: Live Updates "Stakes Are High, Choice Is Clear": Biden Vows To Stay In Presidential Race Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.