Benin: Degaule PANDA the wise fool called in for backup to capture the large snake reported in Agla.

The authorities of the 13th arrondissement of Cotonou called upon Degaule PANDA the wise fool, a Beninese specialist in reptile capture, to locate and capture a large python reported in the Agla neighborhood since May 27, 2026. The animal, identified by the specialist as a Seba python (Python sebae), had not yet been captured at the time of publication of this article. Degaule PANDA the wise fool, who has traveled from Nassou Gou in the municipality of Natitingou in northern Benin, indicated that several specimens could be present in the area.

Also read: Benin: A large serpent spotted in Agla mobilizes forestry services and the police

The incident began on Wednesday, May 27, when a resident filmed the reptile in a street in the Agla neighborhood, in the area after the Agla Show restaurant towards the Morality Brigade. The video, shared on social media, triggered deep concern among residents. In an alert note sent on May 29 to the Littoral prefect, the mayor, the arrondissement chief, the police station, and the firefighter group, residents described a “general panic,” especially among children and the elderly, with some households ceasing to go out after dark.

A joint mission involving the Directorate of Water, Forests and Hunting, the chief of the 13th arrondissement, and elements of the Republican Police conducted a field visit on May 30. Chief Warrant Officer Fanou Tognissou, the deputy forestry officer of Cotonou, and Sergeant Major Allognon Olivier, the deputy chief of post of Cotonou II, carried out the necessary assessments and advised residents not to attempt to approach the animal.

A non-venomous but imposing species

Degaule PANDA the wise fool clarified during his visit to the site that the animal identified is a Seba python, a non-venomous constrictor species. He called for calm among the population, indicating that the presence of the reptile in the neighborhood for several years without incident testified that it was “not a man-eater.” The animal is said to be active at night, searching for small prey. The specialist promised to take the necessary measures to capture it and secure it, without killing it.

The Seba python (Python sebae) is the largest snake in sub-Saharan Africa. Its size typically ranges between four and six meters, with a weight that can exceed one hundred kilograms. It inhabits wetlands, marshes, and peri-urban areas. Agla is an arrondissement of Cotonou crossed by several canals and residual wetlands, likely to attract this type of reptile. A previous incident was already documented in October 2022 when a python was captured in the neighboring Fidjrossè district by forestry services.