Police night patrols are prepared for dangerous encounters, but officers in Queensland, northeast Australia, were recently stopped in their tracks by an unusual predator.
A huge scrub python blocked a police vehicle in the bush areas surrounding Wujul Wujul near the city of Cairns in tropical Far North Queensland.
The two officers got out of the car to take a snap of the reptile, identified as a scrub python. "Sergeant Ben Tome sent his colleague Acting Senior Constable Chris Kenny out of the car to stand next to the giant (very brave of you Ben!)" read a statement documenting the encounter on the Queensland police website Monday, under the title "They breed them big in the Far North!"
"We don't do boring," the statement read, adding that the officers who "stumbled across this monster" did not have to wait long before the snake followed their marching orders and cleared the way.
"Not fond of the police attention, the scrub python made his way quickly off the road so the officers could continue on their way," the statement added.
The post quickly drew attention once it was shared on the police's social media accounts as people commented in horror and awe at the creature, which police estimated to be 16 feet long, according to local media reports.
The scrub python is Australia's longest snake and can measure up to 26 feet in length. Also known as amethystine pythons due to their color, the non-venomous reptile can also be found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, mostly in rainforests but sometimes in suburban areas, too.
The constricting python feeds on birds, bats, rats, possums, other small mammals and sometimes cats, as did a massive 110-pound specimen caught by rangers from the Rainforestation Nature Park Kuranda near Cairns in 2015. The rangers were alerted by a woman who called for their assistance after the snake reportedly took her cat.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Sofia Lotto Persio reports mainly on Asia and gender issues for Newsweek. She previously covered international affairs with a specific ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.