Today, we are going to tell you a story about a python. We know these animals are the worst nightmare for some people, but in Australia, where this story took place, it’s not that rare to find wildlife animals.
If you go to this country, you can be surprised by any animal. This is what happened to Kat Finnerty, a Canadian writer, who was driving at night and she suddenly found a huge log on the road (at least that’s what she thought in the beginning). You can imagine what it really was, right? Exactly, the python we mentioned in the beginning. So, let’s find out more about this story.
The python that surprised Kat
The writer said that the road was dark and she didn’t know what she was witnessing, but when she got closer she realised how big the snake was…
Do you think she was scared? Not at all, the first thing that she was worried about was that other cars didn’t see the python and run over it. Although she said she has always been a bit afraid of snakes, this time she didn’t run away, she stayed there observing the python.
The end of the story was that the snake continued its way and no animal nor person was harmed.
Are pythons dangerous?
They are not venomous, but they are very efficient predators because instead of using venom, they kill their prey by strangling them. They follow a pattern:
- They wrap around the animal.
- They squeeze until the prey can no longer breathe.
- Then, they use their ability to dislocate their jaws to swallow the animal whole.
In the wild, pythons can eat from rodents and birds to bigger animals like wallabies. Although they can make you experience a scary moment, experts say pythons don’t normally attack humans. They will only bite if they feel threatened or if someone tries to bother them.
Features of this python
Let’s call the python by its name, shall we? The snake Kat found was an amethystine python or also called scrub python. And it’s not a regular reptile:
- They can grow over 20 feet long.
- They are excellent climbers and live both in trees and on the ground.
- They can move surprisingly fast, especially in water.
- Their teeth are long and curve backward, like hooks, helping them hold onto prey.
- They can live more than 20 years in the wild.
Pythons are a great example of how nature in Australia is full of unique creatures that adapt to the environment.
What Kat learnt from this experience
It’s true Kat was a bit scared, but this changed her view on snakes. She stated that now she feels respect for them and that she learnt how to live fearing less.
According to her words: “Every single thing that happens, whether good or bad, gives us something. Even though I didn’t want this to happen, it gave me profound respect for snakes. I like to tell people to live fearlessly.”
What can we learn from this?
Not only Kat is going to be the only one learning something from this, we can also do it:
- Not everything scary is dangerous. Pythons don’t usually go after people.
- Respect nature. These snakes play an important role in the environment.
- Facing fears can change us. What seems like a terrifying moment can become a source of growth and courage.
The scrub python is a fascinating creature: powerful, calm, and perfectly adapted to its surroundings. It is not a threat to people who respect it, but it is a reminder that in places like Australia, the line between humans and wild nature is very thin. What would you have done if you had been Kat?