Python captured after being spotted near school campus

NEWBERRY COUNTY, S.C. (WIS/Gray News) - A large python was caught after being spotted in part of the Midlands late Monday.

Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said the snake was captured near the Mid-Carolina school campuses.

One of the people who wrangled the snake, Warren Gallman, shared photos and video of the reptile with WIS.

“I called my son over,” Gallman said. “I found his head and moved the grass back, made sure he wasn’t aggressive and I just went in for him...that’s where the fight began.”

Gallman said he had been tracking the snake for weeks after seeing a social media post.

It’s unclear if the snake belonged to anyone and how it ended up in the area near the school campuses.

In a Facebook post, Sheriff Foster commended the trio who caught the snake, calling them “brave people and great Americans.”

Now, the reptile will be headed to a new home.

Gallman said the snake will now be heading to the Edisto Island Serpentarium. The serpentarium also confirmed to WIS that it would be receiving the snake soon.

In a Facebook post, Gallman said the owners of the facility contacted him and Sheriff Foster about the snake, affectionately named “Nanners.”

Sean Foley, Curator of Herpetology at Riverbanks Zoo, said while pythons like Nanners aren’t venomous, constrictors are dangerous in their own way. He also advised to really do research if you consider getting one as a pet.

“A lot of these large pythons, they can get over 20 feet long,” he said. “So you have to have the specific right circumstances to keep a snake that gets that large.”