Born Free

Category: Lilongwe Wildlife Centre | Date: Jun 09 2009 | By: bornfree

At the Wildlife Centre we get very excited about rescuing and releasing animals that come through the centre, but it is also important to highlight our animals that have been with us for awhile – they want to be heard as well!Meet our resident python, Henry.  He is a non venomous African rock python, and about eight years old.  This type of python is one of the largest snakes in the world and is mainly found in Sub-Saharan Africa.  These pythons can grow up to six meters in length; our Henry is four meters.

We are unsure of Henry’s start in life as he came to the Wildlife Centre from the old Nature Sanctuary, who did not know how long he had been there or how he came to arrive there.  When our planned move to the Wildlife Centre was brought forward, we received a call to say that the python at the Nature Sanctuary had escaped!

A team was dispatched from the Centre and after a couple of hours searching we found him curled up underneath one of the old containers just twenty meters from his old cage.  Henry came to us with an injured jaw, which he had done by striking the wire mesh of his cage.  His jaw has continued to bother him and affected his eating.  Michelle Burt, RVT, recently performed an exam and mouth cleaning on Henry and noted that his jaw was improving.  However, Henry is continuing not to feed at the moment.  His animal carers are suggesting that Henry might like a little change in his diet, so they are looking into different food options for Henry.

Unfortunately Henry will never be returned to the wild because he has developed a lack of fear of humans after so many years in captivity, but with your donations to the Centre, we can ensure Henry will live safe and sound for the rest of his life.

Tags: Lilongwe, Python