A man was swallowed by a python in Indonesia in a rare attack. In a deeply unsettling discovery, villagers in Southeast Sulawesi found the body of an Indonesian farmer inside a massive python after he failed to return home from tending livestock.
The victim, identified as 61-year-old La Noti, had left his home in Majapahit Village on Friday morning to feed his chickens. When he did not return later that day, concerned family members began a search. Their efforts led to the discovery of his motorbike abandoned near the edge of a forest, prompting villagers to investigate the nearby area more thoroughly.
Not long after, residents came across a large python lying still in thick vegetation close to a small garden hut. The snake, estimated to be 28 feet long, appeared unusually bloated and unable to move. Suspecting a possible connection to the farmer’s disappearance, villagers captured the reptile and decided to examine its contents.
Man body’s found intact inside the python’s stomach
What they discovered confirmed their worst fears. The snake was cut open and, inside, they found La Noti’s fully clothed body, reportedly intact but covered in digestive fluids. A disturbing video recorded at the scene shows locals retrieving the body in front of mourning family members.
The local police chief, Adjunct Commissioner Masud Gunawan, later confirmed the incident. Reportedly, La Noti had gone out to feed his animals and didn’t come back. The family and locals searched and found the man had been swallowed by a large python, Gunawan said. He added that the family had accepted the cause of death and proceeded with burial rituals.
According to regional officials, this was the first time such an incident had occurred in the area. “This is the first time a human was eaten by a python in this area,” said La Ode Risawal, head of the local disaster agency.
Experts link human encounters with snakes to habitat loss
Wildlife observers believe that ongoing deforestation and shrinking habitats are pushing wild animals, including large snakes, closer to human communities. Pythons measuring over 20 feet are native to Indonesia and nearby countries. Though attacks on humans are very rare, such cases have been documented over the years.
In a similar event earlier this year, a woman who had gone missing in the same region was also found inside a python. Both incidents have sparked widespread concern and calls for increased caution, especially for villagers working alone in remote or wooded areas.
Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant when near forests or agricultural zones, particularly early in the morning or at night when large snakes are more active.