Python Swallows Woman Whole

(LibertySociety.com) – An Indonesian man is mourning after he found his wife’s remains inside a python on June 7. He became concerned after Farida, 45, failed to return home the night before. Kalempang village chief Suardi Rosi said that the woman’s husband and several neighbors in South Sulawesi began searching the area after finding her belongings. Shortly after that, they found a python with an enlarged belly and suspected that she had been eaten.

Chief Rosi said the group decided to slice open the python to confirm their suspicions, and that her “head was immediately visible.” The 16-foot-long reticulated python had swallowed her whole, fully clothed. The husband appeared regretful that he allowed his wife to venture out alone. He said the python “would not have dared to touch her” if he had gone with her. He expressed remorse to his family for the tragedy and the fact that she likely suffered greatly before her death.

Although rare, residents know about the possibility of a python attack in Sulawesi. The snake is found in Indonesia, Borneo, India, and the Philippines. In 2023, a 26-foot reticulated python was killed in Sulawesi after residents found it consuming a farmer. The body of a 54-year-old woman was discovered inside a 23-footer in another Sulawesi town in 2018. In 2017, a palm oil farmer was found being eaten by the reptile after disappearing in Sulawesi.

The snake normally feasts on rodents, but occasionally consumes pigs, bearcats, civets, and primates. The longest on record was 32 feet and weighed 350 pounds. Female reticulated pythons grow much longer and heavier than their male counterparts. It is illegal to bring a reticulated python into the United States unless a permit is obtained for a limited number of purposes. They are sometimes kept and bred as pets by individuals, but they require a large living space to live a healthy life. The snake has been found in Florida, likely after escaping captivity or being released by their owners. They can be humanely killed when discovered.