CHENNAI: A juvenile reticulated python was sighted inside IIT Madras, slithering across a residential zone. Based on the description given to Guindy National Park authorities, the python is around 7 to 8 foot long. Reticulated pythons are the world’s longest and third heaviest snakes ever recorded. In India, they are found in the wild only in Nicobar Islands. Without a breeding population source, it is puzzling how a python has ended up on IIT-M campus.
The national park authorities confirmed to TNIE they received a call on the sighting on Thursday night. “Immediately, three teams each from Velachery rescue centre, Guindy children’s park and Irula snake catchers were deployed,” a senior official said.
The authorities said there is no need to panic as reticulated pythons are non-venomous, and slow-moving reptile. Sources told TNIE the python was sighted inside IIT Madras twice in the past. It was spotted in March this year and IIT Madras security personnel had reportedly captured it and released it inside the adjacent Guindy National Park area without informing the forest department. Later, it was again spotted on September 23.
There are several theories doing the rounds on how the python got into IIT Madras. One possibility is a baby python might have escaped from the nearby Chennai Snake Park, which has a breeding population. Another possibility is someone who had it as an ‘exotic’ pet might have released it on to the campus.
When contacted, Chennai Snake Park Director R Rajarathinam said there is no possibility of juvenile python escaping from their facility.