Giant Python Devours Woman in Indonesia

In South Sulawesi, a python strangled and swallowed a 45-year-old local woman. Her body was discovered inside the snake when it was cut open.

Farida, the victim, had gone to sell products at the local market and never returned. Her husband went searching for her and found her bag and other belongings in the jungle. She was declared missing, prompting a search effort. With the assistance of local residents, a five-meter python with a noticeably swollen stomach was found in the forest.

Suardi Rossi, the village head of Kalempang, stated, "There was suspicion that the snake had swallowed the victim. Indeed, after the python was cut open, the missing woman's body was found inside its stomach."

Sulawesi is home to reticulated pythons, some of which can grow over 10 meters long and are incredibly strong. These snakes attack unexpectedly, biting their victims first, then coiling around and suffocating them. With each exhalation, they tighten their grip, preventing air from entering the victim's lungs, ultimately leading to death. Pythons have the ability to swallow their prey whole, thanks to their jaws being connected by flexible ligaments, enabling them to stretch around large prey. 

According to Dr. Harry W. Greene, an expert from Cornell University, death can occur within minutes, but the process of swallowing the prey takes a considerable amount of time. Pythons primarily feed on mammals, although they occasionally hunt reptiles, including crocodiles. Typically, they consume mice and other small animals, but as they grow larger, mice no longer satisfy their appetite.

As pythons grow, their prey also increases in size. Their diet begins to include larger animals such as pigs and even cows. Although rare, pythons have been known to consume humans as well. Since 2017, there have been four reported cases of humans being eaten by pythons in Indonesia.

Pythons can pose a danger not only to humans and domestic animals but also to electrical networks. Recently, in the city of Tasikmalaya on Java, a 3.5-meter python somehow climbed a power line pole, causing power outages in the town. A team of electricians who arrived at the scene had to lower the live python from the pole. The evacuation took an entire hour, and no one was injured in the process. However, there are some concerns about the snake's fate. It was handed over to a local fish trader who claimed he needed it for medicinal purposes.

Statistics suggest that you shouldn't worry too much about being attacked by a python in Bali. However, if you love to travel, often venture into remote corners of Indonesia, and explore the jungles, you might want to check out our list of dangerous animals.

Sources: detik, instagram