BALIK PULAU: A female python weighing more than 220 kilogrammes, named 'Cik Kiah,' was found dead here yesterday.
Its owner, Mohd Redzuan Abdullah Zawawi, 39, said he realised Cik Kiah was dead when he wanted to do a routine check, at about 10 am.
Mohd Redzuan said Cik Kiah is from the Malayopython reticulatus or reticulated python family, which is a batik python the size of an anaconda.
He said she was among the nine genetically diverse pythons he keeps and is probably the largest in Asia, with a length of almost seven metres.
"I took care of Cik Kiah for more than 20 years, until yesterday when she died suddenly.
"It's true that for the past two or three days, her body seemed unwell. Until yesterday morning, when I held Cik Kiah, I found that she was no longer moving, while her stomach seemed to be bloated.
"I consider Cik Kiah like my own child, and I accept her passing at that age," he said when contacted by Harian Metro.
Harian Metro reported on the story of Mohd Redzuan, who kept the exotic animal in a specially rented house, in June last year.
Cik Kiah was his most beloved snake.
Mohd Redzuan said Cik Kiah had never harmed him. In fact, since the news about her was reported by some media and went viral before, her and her family's sustenance had doubled.
He said at this time, the Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks (Perhilitan) has been informed about the python's death, and they are expected to take Cik Kiah within 14 days to be preserved and kept.