ANKARA, Aug 26: A six-metre python, which went missing from the Ankara zoo two months ago, triggering a frantic search, has finally been found napping near its cage, Turkish newspapers reported on Saturday.

The python had disappeared on June 10 after a security guard opened the hole used to feed the snake because the animal seemed to be in discomfort and walked away without shutting it.

The incident had forced the closure of parts of the zoo and led to a criminal investigation into whether it had been stolen.

An extensive search of the zoo grounds, with thermal cameras, turned up nothing and a cabinet minister suggested at the time that the snake might have ended up through a kebab merchant’s meat grinder and advised against eating shish kebab.

On Thursday, zoo officials finally located the animal sleeping in the ventilation shaft of its cage when they noticed discarded snake skin outside the shaft.—AFP