HERE WE ARE AFRICA
So here we are in Central Zaire close to the Lomami river that branches off of the congo river Africa.The sunsets here are spectacular and we will search for the African Rock Python after dark.Until then enjoy the view!
As you can notice we have trailed away from the swampy rainfoerst we were just in.Now we are in a moist savannha with a slight wind blowing and a large river in front of us.Otherwise open area.The temperatures are quite comfortable now in the lower 80s even though we are right on the equator!We will be staying at a farmers house.They make these out of mud plastered over a framework of Branches.I heard the farmer say that one of his goats was eaten by a large snake.Oh you didnt know I spoke Swahili?Thats why we are here.Can you imagine having these awesome creatures living in your own backyard?I mean not in cages!It has a not so distant relative living more South Python Sebae Natelensis.However this is a smaller python reaching about 8-12 feet.We are looking for giants!Now that you are rested can I tell you some stories before herping?Lets sit in this open feild.Watch your back though!While not being as massive as our last subject these pythons can be quite long!How long you ask?Well in 1932 a python was killed not to far from here that was supposedly 130 feet long!But the snake was made into stew for the natives before a reliable measure could be taken.Must have been quite a large meal huh?In 1929 Arthur Loveridge measured the skin of a fresh african rock at 30 feet.He said he thought the average length of this python was probably 25 feet although he could believe that they reached 30.Was he right?Three years later at a school ground in West Africa a huge snake was found near the playground in a bush!Thinking he must have been looking for an easy meal the teacher Mrs. Charles Beart shot the snake.It was measured and guess what?It tipped the measurements at 32 feet 2&1/4 inches!Did you know Rocks got that big?Or can they get larger than that?A helicopter pilot flying at 500 feet saw a HUGE python he said was over 40 feet probably over 50 feet long.He circled around not wanting to land and took a picture of this snake.It was a rock python!However how do we know that he did not lower altitude before taking the picture?Could it be the big one is still out there?A monster African Rock Terrorizing the Congo in the deepest forests not yet found?Could be!In ancient Rome while in Africa the army was attacked by a giant snake!The men carried on a fierce battle to kill the beast and succeded after many deaths.They called this snake earth shaker!It was skinned and sent to a temple to be preserved there.The length was recorded at a gargantuan 120 feet!IS that snake story for real were there snakes that large back then or are they that large now and we just have not found the giant yet!A specimen of Rock was captured in Ethiopia and sent to the royal palace in Alexandria Rome where it was put on display.This giant measured 45 feet!The natives fear this snake and worship it at the same time.They say that if they find one of there children caught in the coils of a python they would rather let it be or suffer death themselves!Some of these tribes keep these snakes and offer sacrifices to them for the Gods.Are african rocks awesome?Sure.Lets go herping.African rocks seem to like to be in the open savanna.However they do not wander far from water.They do eat crocodiles!You did not know that ?In 1958 K H Krofft while tracking elephants in Rodesia killed a specimen 23 feet in length.It contained a 6 foot Nile Crocodile in its stomach!Now thats a big meal.We are headed next to a mysterious place where monks roam the streets and snakes are gods!
WHERE?