mbill

18-05-2011 15:35pm
今天在米埔看見一條大約十二呎(4米)長的蟒蛇。很抱歉打擾了牠曬太陽的閒情.
已即時向米埔漁護處管理員報告.
A 4 metres long Python was seen in Mai Po,Sorry for disturbing it enjoying sunshine.
Was reported to the AFCD,Mai Po at once.

fatchun

It seems so full...It might take a rest after a big meal.
Nice find!

mchristine

Vow!!! May I know whereabout in Mai Po did you see it?

wcaptain

Bob,

May I know why you report it to AFCD? Do you think the snake will eat people?

It is quite usual (and misunderstood) that snakes are potential hazard, and so they have to be handled. In fact, they are just part of the ecosystem. Most of them are not particularly aggressive.

As Mai Po NR is a natural reserve, there is little justification to report it and handled by people. Just "enjoy it" and "let them alone" are the best approaches.

Just like we do not report a beautiful lady on a street and do report psycho to the Police.

thinfor

It seemed to me that the python was attempting to cross the cemented border underneath.  Would it have been likely stuck at the gap?  

ltsunpun

I guess it is the same Python found near the EC, some of the birders already know its existence for a long time. A year ago, I watched from the EC's balcony and saw it swam in the duck pound.

lkatherine

Very nice photo!

"This Python" has been regularly reported along AFCD path in the past 6 months, seems it sometimes travel between the Reserve and the fish pond on the other side of the path. There is higher chance to see it on a sunny day, around 12:00-15:00 when it is enjoying the heat from the sunlight.

It has been seen going into the hole under the concrete path before so it should be OK.

WWF keeps a database of the wildlife sightings (birds, mammals, reptiles....) at the Reserve as part of our baseline monitoring. Please continue to let us know if you have interesting sightings like this!

Thanks,
Katherine

mbill

Yes, I thought that the python was attempting to cross the cemented border underneath, but there is no exit on the other side, so I think it may hide there for a while.
The staff of the AFCD said it is a protective creature and take no action. I reported just for keeping a record.

mchristine

I asked AFCD staff the whereabout of the python in Mai Po last Sunday.  They were very kind and helpful and told me in details of what have been reported by Bill and some other English speaking visitors.  I felt that AFCD staff welcome the idea of us reporting special creatures to them for record keeping, for answering enquiries and for their own interest both as nature workers and nature lovers.  The privilege of seeing such special creature did not come to me last Sunday, otherwise I would have been the lucky one to report the scene to AFCD staff.

[ Last edited by mchristine at 24/05/2011 17:01 ]

lkatherine

WWF-HK is holding the database on wildlife sightings at Mai Po as part of our baseline monitoring. I might be wrong but I don't think the AFCD Wardens are keeping similar records/database.

So for further sightings/interesting records, please kindly keep posting on this forum, and/or send a e-mail  to us for record keeping in the database (kleung @ wwf.org.hk *please remove the space).

Thank you very much for your help.

Regards,
Katherine Leung
Reserve Officer
Mai Po Nature Reserve
WWF-HK

mchristine

Dear Katherine,

Thank you for the information.  In fact, I have first asked a couple of WWF staff the whereabout of the python on Sunday.  They said that they had no idea and advised me to ask the AFCD staff in the small cottage just outside the AFCD path. Other birders said that I should call Bill to get the exact location.  Unfortunately I did not have Bill's mobile. I then asked the AFCD staff in the cottage whilst I sought their computer service to sign in my Mai Po card.  Both staff sitting there could share with me enthusiastically the whereabout of the phyton and its show up history in details.  I don't know whether AFCD keep any database.  I would say that the two AFCD staff who responded to my questions acted like human data base.  

Now I understand that in fact WWF has a professional database for wildlife in Mai Po.  I would suggest all WWF staff to be made aware of it so as to equip them the knowledge to answer enquiries from visitors.  Or they may know they can retrieve the answer from a database somewhere in their office.

I have no doubt that both WWF and AFCD are professional nature workers who are willing to help.  I would defintely report the finding to both organisations if I have any luck to sight any special creature in Mai Po like lucky Bill did.

[ Last edited by mchristine at 25/05/2011 13:37 ]