12-foot python rescued from construction site

A four-hour-long rescue operation was carried out in Greater Noida after a 12-foot Indian rock python was found trapped inside a narrow sewer pipe at an under-construction site near the Yamuna Expressway.

The reptile was safely rescued by Wildlife SOS and later released into a suitable natural habitat. The incident again drew attention to the growing interface between urban expansion and wildlife movement in the Delhi-NCR region.

The incident occurred in the NRI Township area, where security personnel had reportedly noticed the python over several days in open plots and construction zones. As construction activity intensified, the snake sought shelter inside a concrete pipe, leaving it with little room to escape.

Alarmed workers alerted the Wildlife SOS emergency helpline, fearing both for their safety and that of the animal.

A rapid response unit from the Wildlife SOS reached the site and began a planned rescue. Since the pipe was buried and inaccessible, an excavator was used to expose the structure without causing harm to the snake. After several hours of coordinated effort, the python was successfully extricated and transported to the organisation’s rescue facility for observation.

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS, said such rescues reflect how rapidly expanding cities are overlapping with natural habitats. He noted that animals like pythons are often forced into human-dominated spaces as development outpaces ecological planning, making safe intervention crucial to avoid conflict.

Following a medical check-up and hydration support, the snake was found to be healthy and fit for release.

Geeta Seshamani, Co-founder and Secretary of Wildlife SOS, said: “Snakes typically enter human spaces not out of aggression but as a response to shrinking habitats.” She pointed out that increased public awareness had played a key role in ensuring that more such encounters now end with safe rescues rather than harm to wildlife”.