(Jamaica Star) The sighting of a seven foot-long snake rattled the emotions of dozens of Montegonians on Thursday morning, who gathered in large numbers underneath the utility wires where the reptile was curled up.
Curious residents gathered to get a photo of the snake, while one brave young man took on the task of capturing the reptile.
A pedestrian, who was making his way along a section of Orange Street in downtown Montego Bay, raised an alarm shortly after 8 a.m., after he spotted the snake.
The yellow snake hugged the wires tighter upon hearing the loud noise coming from below.
The police and personnel from the National Environmental and Planning Agency were called, but, after an hour, no representative had arrived.
Residents then called a young man who hails from North Gully, and who is said to be experienced with dealing with reptiles.
The ‘snake catcher’ used a piece of stick to release the snake from the wires, and after grabbing hold of the reptile’s tail, placed it inside a bag which one of his companions had brought.
Some residents believed the snake got free from persons who have been using it to practise obeah.
“A people dung a di Gully Market a use the snake fi wuk dem obeah, but it look like it get weh from dem, and crawl up pon the wire. A pure obeah dem wuk dung a this yah market yah,” a vendor said.
Another man said that the snake seemed to have been on its way inside the municipal corporation building.
“When mi come yah so, mi sure seh a inna the parish council building di snake did a crawl a go before dem ketch it. It look like dem set it pon summady inna the parish council building,” a man said.