Pilbara local helps remove large reticulated python from a ship moored in King Bay Supply Base

A Pannawonica resident in Karratha to do his shopping received a lucky call to help with the removal of a 3m long python that had boarded a vessel in Singapore and landed in Dampier. Paul Singline has spent 15 years in the Pilbara, including 10 in Karratha before moving to Pannawonica, and was in town to do his shopping when he was called out to help with a snake capture on the Siem Thiima. Mr Singline said he received a call on April 2 from fellow snake catcher Scott Chandler who asked if he would be able to capture the python at King Bay Supply Base. “I still know a lot of snake catchers throughout Karratha and the Pilbara, and it was shear luck I was in town at the time,” he said. “I was meant to be doing a shop — I actually forgot half the shopping because of it.” He said Mr Chandler was unable to go out to the supply base in Dampier, but told him the snake boarded the ship in Singapore. “As soon as he said that I thought straight away it’s got to be reticulated python because they’re quite common over there,” he said. Mr Singline called a fellow snake catcher to help in case the snake was longer than 3m. “We went in at 11.30, went up to the ship and there it was ... we walked down the stairs and it was on the right up near a cable tray,” he said. “Just curled up ... just chilling doing its thing.” Mr Singline said the animal was boxed up and handed over to Biosecurity for it to be destroyed. He said it was part of the law for the animal to be destroyed, but it was still sad. “It’s a bit of a shame ... it’s disappointing these days for an animal that can grow to such a large size and become such a magnificent animal to be destroyed,” he said. Mr Singline said he wished healthy snakes like this one could be given to zoos looking for exotic animals. “At the end of the day, all the snake was doing was it travelled to the ship on a rope off the port and just snuggled in there and happy days,” he said.