MUZAFFARABAD: The wildlife guards in Mirpur district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Saturday released a 12-feet long Indian python in a private game reserve in the area in what was the second such activity in three days.

Mohammad Sajid, the Mirpur-based assistant game warden, told Dawn that the python was seized and put into a bag by a group of youngsters from an uninhabited part of a housing scheme in Chittarpari area on Friday night.

“After we received information about the seizure, we went to the area and took the python in our possession at around midnight,” he said, adding that thenonvenomous constrictor snakewas kept in the wildlife department’s office overnight and released in a private game reserve in Jarri Kas area on Saturday.

On Wednesday, Mr Sajid said the task force officials had seized an eight feet long python from the Shaukat [housing] scheme of Mirpur after being informed by some residents. The boawas released in the same private game reserve the same afternoon, he said.

Earlier on Friday last (Sept 2),a more than 15-foot long Indian python was killed by villagers in a suburban area of Mirpur after it tried to swallow a goat.

Mr Sajid said the population of python had recorded a considerable increase in the Mirpur division because of the greater awareness among the public about conservation of wildlife.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2022