Python: Minors Caught in Wildlife Crime
The snake rescue took a tense turn when the group of kids and community members allegedly demanded payment for the snake.
The recent confiscation of a Southern African python from 11 teenagers sparked a heated confrontation between security personnel, animal rescue services, and community members in Brits, North West.
Jac Louis of Critter Chronicles told The Citizen that he was called by private security company Secra Security last week and told that a group of teenagers aged 15-17 were attempting to sell the snake.
According to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), capturing and selling endangered animals, including pythons, is illegal without the proper permits. The South African government has guidelines on how to obtain the relevant permit.
'When you go to the black market, like the legit black market, not that you can call it legit, you can sell a python for anywhere between R10 000 and R20 000, but the kids were looking for R2 000.'
However, the snake rescue took a tense turn when the group of kids and community members allegedly demanded payment for the snake. He said they got into the as the group became increasingly violent.
'It's not just the fact that they can hurt you, because they've got stones and everything in their hands, it's also the fact that if one of them gets hurt, I can also get in trouble,' Louis said.
Louis said that when they got to the police station, the police said the snake would be safe with Critter Chronicles and helped explain to the community members that the attempted sale was an illegal activity.
ALSO READ: SA is in the forefront of saving rhinos from poaching
Where did the snakes come from?
The group said they found the snake at a nearby mountain, where they allegedly hunted regularly.
Louis claimed that on a previous occasion, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) confiscated the same group's dogs, alleging they had been used for hunting dassies.
'So we go to schools, and we educate the kids about wildlife because they are from a less privileged background. We're going to try to teach our kids from [taking] the wrong path to the right one.'
Louis further stated that this was a regular occurrence, having been called out three to four times per week to deal with similar sales of animals without a permit.
'This incident serves as a clear reminder of the need for ongoing wildlife education, especially in communities where access to information is limited and financial hardship influences behaviour,' said Louis.
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