Mysuru: City’s snake rescuer and wildlife conservationist Snake Shyam and his son Surya Keerthi have rescued an Indian Rock Python at Vijayanagar in city yesterday night.

Residents who saw the python at Sanjeevaiah Memorial Charitable Trust premises in Vijayanagar informed Shyam at about 8 pm, who reached the spot at around 8.30 pm, saw the huge python crossing the road and rescued it.

Shyam said that the python was about 8 ft. to 9 ft. long and may have swept away in the drains during rains from nearby forests and entered into human habitat.

He further said that under the guidance and presence of Forest Department officials, the snake was released into its natural habitat.

Snakes are not like mammals that go into a deep, prolonged sleep during the winter. Instead, they enter a state known as brumation. Brumation is a fascinating adaptation that allows snakes to conserve energy during the winter months. Brumation is akin to hibernation in mammals. Instead of experiencing long, sustained periods of inactivity, brumating reptiles stir occasionally to drink water, Shyam said.

Shyam said that python almost resembles a viper. While pythons are constrictors and non-venomous, viper snake is highly venomous containing hemotoxic venom and added that there are instances of people mistaking a viper as python and getting bitten by it when they try to catch the snake.

 He has urged people not to go near any snake if they cannot identify them besides asking them to call Mob: 99805-57797, if they come across snakes in their locality and keep a watch on it till the snake rescuer arrives.