A nearly seven-foot python was discovered inside the hood of a parked car in Dahisar West, giving residents of a Mumbai housing compound an unexpected scare, the Free Press Journal reported.
Here's what to know
In Kandarpada, at Maheshwar Building off Bapu Bagwe Road, the reptile was discovered inside a parked car in the residential compound. The Free Press Journal, citing NDTV, said a local resident first spotted the snake, after which worried residents called a professional rescuer.
In the video shared by Dahisarkar (@dahisarkarofficial), wildlife rescuer Sameer Gupta is seen working the python loose from the cramped space under the bonnet and placing it into a bag once it is free. Gupta had opened the car and found the snake tucked among the vehicle's internal components.
Before releasing it, officials examined the python for injuries from the car's heated parts. After wildlife officials found the animal was healthy, they released it in nearby Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
No residents were injured during the incident.
More background
In dense cities and suburbs that sit near forests or green corridors, vehicles, buildings, and other structures can become temporary hiding spots for animals seeking shade, warmth, or protection.
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In this case, the python's presence caused immediate stress for residents and potential danger for the snake as well. An engine compartment may seem sheltered, but it can expose an animal to burns, injury, or panic if someone starts the vehicle.
After the examination, officials returned the snake to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, its natural habitat.
What's being done?
Residents should not try to remove a large snake from a cramped car bonnet on their own, since an untrained response can put both people and the animal at risk.
Officials did not send the python back into the wild right away. Instead, they first gave it a medical check, since machinery, heat, or even the extraction itself can cause injuries that aren't immediately visible. That step helped reduce the chance of releasing a hurt animal.
As cities continue to grow, these kinds of encounters may remain part of life in areas where urban neighborhoods and wildlife habitat meet.
Where can I learn more?
Cases like this are not uncommon in places where people and wildlife live close together. The articles below cover pythons and other snakes found in car engines, on vehicles, in drains, and near roads.
• In Florida, deputies found a ball python curled around a car engine.
• On a Spanish highway, a driver spotted a harmless snake clinging to a door handle.
• In Singapore, contractors moved after workers flagged them to a reticulated python in a drain.
• In South Africa, drivers came upon an enormous snake near traffic for the first time.
• In Jitra, Malaysia, rescuers captured a bloated 5-meter python after it swallowed a goat.
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