Indonesia: Conservation center to set free 3,000 pythons annually

Antara 26 Apr 13;

Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - The Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) in Bengkulu said it would set free around 3,000 pythons a year.

The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) has recommended the center to produce 8,000 pythons, the head of the center conservation, Anggoro Dwi Sujatmiko, said here on Friday.

Anggoro said the center would breed the large species of snake with young pythons supplied from snake eggs hatching business units outside Bengkulu, Anggoro said.

He said the plan is in line with the quota of pythons as recommended by LIPI that Bengkulu is set to produce 8,000 pythons a year .

The center would raise the animals for their skins for exports or use by local industry , he said.

The 3,000 pythons would be set free in a location save from human settlement as people would protest if their areas would be made a habitat for so many pythons, he said.

If no such place is found, a special location would be chosen to raise the snakes, he added.

He said Bengkulu has large empty swampy or bush areas that could be used to breed pythons.

People have often caught grown up pythons in the swampy Jenggolo riverside areas in the sub-district of Sukaraja, Seluma District.

However, farmers need pythons to scare away rats from their rice fields , he said.

In area where there are pythons rice fields would be free from rats as pythons feed on live animals including rodents.
(H-ASG/F001)

Editor: Jafar M Sidik