Video Shows Woman Frantically Fighting Off Python Hiding Under Office Trolley
This video footage is literally the stuff of nightmares.
CCTV footage captured the horrifying moment a woman was attacked by a python hiding under an office trolley in Bangkok, Thailand. The woman sustained serious injuries to her foot after the snake viciously bit her and wouldn't let go, forcing the woman to desperately fight the reptile off. It's not confirmed whether the snake was brought into the building and escaped, or if it just found its way in from outside—but judging by the video, it's an experience the woman will never forget. Here's what happened.
The office worker was walking down a hallway in the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation with two other colleagues when the terrifying incident occurred. A large python was lying in wait under a trolley and lunged out at the woman as she walked past, sinking its fangs into her foot. The woman is seen frantically trying to get the snake away from her as it rears up to attack. She finally manages to fight the snake off and runs away. Keep reading to learn more and see the video.
The victim sustained serious injuries to her foot and was seen limping after the attack. "The woman who was attacked by the python worked for the Department of Sericulture and only came to the building to visit a friend. She is now safe and has returned to her home in Khon Kaen province," a government spokesman said. "We would like to confirm that it is unlikely that the snake belongs to the department, nor was it brought to the wildlife clinic. We follow strict measures where wild animals delivered to the department have to be tightly sealed in their compartment."
Monsoon season is between June and October—during this time it's not unusual for the extreme rain and flooding to drive animals into sheltered spaces. Officials noted that the office has a pond and fountain where the snake may have been hiding before making its way into the building. The Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department reportedly receives up to 200 emergency calls a day from people who need help getting rid of pythons and cobras during the rainy season, so the snake's behavior is not considered unusual.
Unexpected python attacks on humans are rare but still fairly terrifying: A woman in Thailand was hospitalized after being bitten by a six-and-a-half-foot python that had been hiding in her toilet bowl. "I did not see the snake hiding inside the bowl, so I was just doing my stuff when I was attacked," said Boonsong Plaikaew, 54. "From now on, I'll check the toilet every time before I sit down."
Some experts believe python attacks are on the rise because deforestation for palm oil crops is destroying their habitats, and forcing them into contact with humans. "Much of this palm oil is produced in ways that involve the destruction of tropical forests and peatlands, adding to global warming emissions and reducing habitat for many already threatened species," says the Union of Concerned Scientists.
"They're not coming after us," says Doug Boucher, a scientific adviser for the Union of Concerned Scientists. "In various ways, either directly or by our actions with changing land use, we're coming after them."
