Rescued in time, injured python survives in South Sikkim

NAMCHI, 22 July [IPR]: It was just a regular, routine afternoon on 12 July for Range Officer Wildlife (South) Hari Maya Thapa, who was on a scheduled visit to inspect the construction work of Nature Information Centre and the Eco Sensitive Zone on the Jorethang-Melli highway when she was informed about an injured Rock Python in the area by a group of locals. The python had fallen off the cliff on the highway possibly after been run over by a passing vehicle.
Along with the locals she quickly visited the site and found the badly injured python dangling on a branch of a tree on the cliff. With the help of the locals she recovered the injured python. Here the RO makes special mention of the locals who took up this dangerous feat risking their lives to save the python.
The RO then brought the injured serpent to Namchi Veterinary Centre, where the python was attended by the Veterinary Doctor, Dr. Z Bhutia.
The python which comes under Schedule 1 of (Wildlife Protection Act, 1991) is an endangered species. It was gasping and struggling for life and had some grievous injuries around the jaw line and was bleeding. After examining it, the doctor injected a few antibiotics and other medicines to try and save this beautiful animal.
By then it was almost 7 PM and both the doctors as well as the Forest Department Officials were not sure if the injured animal would survive, but there was some hope as the serpent had responded fairly well to whatever treatment it had received.
Now the problem was where to keep this injured serpent as the Veterinary Centre was not equipped to keep such animals and taking it to the zoo was not advisable. Range Officer Ms Thapa, who had recovered the injured animal volunteered to take it with her and keep it till morning, this is the compassion of a woman who is very sincere towards to her work and for her saving that animal was the most important thing then.
The next morning to her and everyone’s surprise the python was responding well to the treatment and alive, she brought the animal to the centre and Dr. Z Bhutia started few other treatments.
Today, 8 days after the animal was rescued and had been kept in the Rescue Centre of Kitam Bird Sanctuary it is still receiving treatment to bring it back to full heath.
Dr. Z Bhutia and her staff at the Namchi Veterinary Centre, PB Gurung who needs a special mention here, visits the Rescue Centre (almost 38 kms to and fro distance) everyday to give medicine and do some required dressings on the animal.
The python has now started feeding on its own, informed the Range Officer and is recovering very well from the injuries sustained.
Rock pythons are widely found in South Asia. The subspecies is limited to the Indo-Chinese sub-region. In Sikkim Himalaya, it has been reported from tropical regions such as Sukna forest, Sevoke, Tarkhola, Melli, Jorethang, Manpur, Rangpo, Sirwani, Singtam, Makha and Rigu.
The said animal is called Panu bu by the Lepchas, an approximate translation of the Lepcha name Panu bu is King snake as they consider it to be the king of snakes. Even a Lepcha leader is implored to be like a python - strong, powerful and impersonal but not poisonous or malicious.