Report by Akshya Rout; Jajpur: The forest officials rescued on Wednesday afternoon  a  six foot long male  baby python from the village Sidhapala under Dharmasala block  of Jajpur district.

Some locals spotted the python, near the pond of  the village and informed the forest officials  and local snake man  Bibhuduta Jena about the presence of the python for which forest officials and snake man rushed to the village and rescued the python, said Sarat Chandra Sahoo the forest officer of Bairi forest range.

 After rescuing the python, the forest official released the python in the nearby  forest.  According to forest officer "It is not unusual to have such a  python in the villages near the forest as the forest is the home of hundreds of pythons".

 Pythons are normally not considered dangerous to humans, even though large specimens are powerful enough to kill an adult and attacks are occasionally reported.  The advent of rains has led to more frequent spotting of reptiles such as snakes of both venomous and non-venomous categories, added the forest officer.  Some locals said that they have been getting far more calls of snake spotting in the monsoon reason, as their conventional underground hideouts get flooded with water.

"We are trying to raise awareness among villagers not to harm snakes and other reptiles if they happen to make an appearance in your neighbourhood. All creatures big and small are part of our ecosystem, and critical to the environment,'' said the forest officer.

 "The frequent incidents of pythons venturing out of the jungle is a matter of concern. It means the natural resources are gradually getting depleted. Many snakes often stray into the villages in search of food . Snakes of these areas area include the deadly poisonous King Cobra , Banded Krait, Common Krait Bamboo snake and blue krait. Among the non-poisonous snakes , the Indian Rock python, Rat Snake ,  the Water snake, common worm snake, Blind snake, Red Sand Boa snake, Black earth boa, Common green whip snake, Rock python ,Vine Snake, Painted Bronzeback, common Indian Bronze-back and Tree snake. There are many snakes, some of which are non-poisonous.

 Eighty percent of the snakes are non-poisonous for which it is an easy task for the snake charmers to catch snakes", said Sudhansu Parida the secretary of the district unit of People's for Animals.