Hasim Lumbessy, a 35-year-old man, died after being attacked and swallowed by a 23-foot python while walking home from a party in North Maluku, Indonesia. Lumbessy was traveling alone through a forested area toward the village of Waksakai at approximately 3 a.m. on July 27 when the snake struck from the undergrowth, biting his leg before coiling around him and crushing him to death.
When Lumbessy failed to return home, his relatives began a search along his route. They discovered blood, a backpack, a sling bag, and sandals, prompting them to alert other villagers to help conduct a wider search of the area. The group eventually located a large python with a visibly distended stomach. After killing and opening the snake, they found Lumbessy’s body inside.
Sula Islands Police Chief Handres noted that the incident occurred in a region that remains a wildlife habitat. He urged local residents to exercise caution when entering the forest and suggested traveling in pairs to reduce the risk of further encounters.
The incident is part of a series of recent conflicts in North Maluku, including a fatal attack on a 44-year-old woman working on her farm and a separate strike against a biker who had stopped in the same area. While reticulated pythons are non-venomous, they are the world’s longest snakes and powerful constrictors. Humans are not the natural prey of these animals, but as human encroachment into these habitats continues, fatal interactions are documented. Naturalists like Paul Rosolie have long studied these predators, often highlighting the immense physical pressure they exert when constricting prey.
