Python dies after being run over 'at least twice' while crossing Cecil Road

A reticulated python died after it was run over at least twice while crossing Cecil Road on the evening of Mar. 12, despite managing to reach the other side of the road alive.

Rescued by Acres

The injured snake was later attended to by the wildlife rescue team from Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) outside Telok Ayer Park near Capital Tower at around 7:50pm, according to a video shared by Stomp Singapore.

Footage from the scene showed rescuers carefully handling the reptile before placing it into a transport container. One rescuer was seen lifting the python from the ground, with others assisting him.

Acres chief executive Kalaivanan Balakrishnan said that the snake appeared to have been run over at least twice before rescuers arrived.

Despite the impact, the python still managed to cross the road, though it suffered severe injuries.

Among the injuries observed was an eyeball that had been dislodged from its socket.

According to Acres, the python was safely contained and brought back for monitoring, with rescuers keeping it warm while observing its condition overnight.

However, the animal later died from its injuries.

Roadkill remains a concern

Kalai said the incident reflects a wider problem facing wildlife in urban Singapore, where animals frequently have to move through built-up areas fragmented by roads.

He noted that dense road networks often cut across green spaces, forcing animals to cross roads in search of food or mates, with many not surviving such journeys.

Reticulated pythons are among the species that have adapted to Singapore’s urban environment and are commonly found in drainage networks, where they feed mainly on rats.

Acres has long highlighted roadkill as an ongoing threat to local biodiversity, particularly for animals moving between patches of habitat in highly developed areas.

Members of the public who encounter injured or distressed wildlife may contact Acres’ wildlife rescue hotline at 9783 7782.

Top images via Stomp Singapore/Instagram