Massive Python Found Near Waukegan Beach
By Samantha Abernethy in News on Sep 18, 2012 9:20PM
A worker was picking up trash near a beach in Waukegan when he stumbled on a 12-to-15-foot albino Burmese python on Monday morning. It wasn't aggressive, though, but the Daily Herald reports it took three Animal Control employees to lift the 12-to-15-foot python into a van to bring it in for care.
The curator of the Lake Forest Wildlife Discovery Center Rob Carmichael said the general rule for dealing with snakes is one adult handler per six feet of snake. “This is a large enough animal to do some real serious harm whether it’s pets or even small children,” he said.
The animal itself is in trouble right now, though. It may not have lasted much longer in the wild. “It was definitely not given very good care. We don’t know how long it was out in the wild,” Carmichael said. It's injured and shows sings of abuse, including severe scars and open wounds. Carmichael said it is emaciated for its size, and the previous owner may have fed it live prey, inflicting serious damage.