Don't steal pythons

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We heard a funny story while we were at the endurance ride recently. Apparently some researchers were studying the habits of the ring-tail possum. They had attached collars to several possums. The collars contained a small radio transmitter which would allow them to track the animals. If the animal was motionless for quite some time, the transmitter would give a particular signal. One day the ‘no signs of life’ signal came through and the researchers set off to find the animal. They were a bit surprised to discover it had been eaten by a python and the transmitter was still sending signals from inside its stomach. The big problem was that the python would die as it would not be able to pass the transmitter. So the group took the python to a veterinary surgeon and arrangements were made for it to be operated on next day. However, during the night the surgery was broken into and the python taken which seems a bit strange but that’s what happened. When the theft was discovered next morning, the researchers hired a small plane and started following a grid pattern trying to pick up the signal which in due course they did. They were able to locate the exact house where the python was kept. Can you imagine the guy’s face when he opened to door to the police? The python was returned to the surgery for its life-saving operation and the guy was charged. True story. The photo is of a dead ringtail possum which we found on our road.