Durban — It did not end with a successful release for Amazing Grace, a southern African python, with a spinal injury, under the care of FreeMe Wildlife.
Recently, the wildlife sanctuary said that it had to be one of their saddest moments this year, “we lost Amazing Grace”.
FreeMe Wildlife said: “She sadly died one night, much to our disbelief. Grace had gone into blue, started to shed her skin, and it seemed this had all been too much for her on top of the massive trauma to her spine, the reason she was admitted in the first place.”
“The necropsy revealed unseen damage to her heart, which was directly below the smashed vertebra. The top two chambers of the heart were compromised, likely as a result of severe bruising sustained from the original blow that crushed her spine. The heart never recovered from this.”
FreeMe Wildlife said that when they did another CT scan, and thanked Hilton Vet Hospital for helping them with that.
“What we discovered was that the spine and ribs at the site of the break had all fused together and calcified into jagged edges, resulting in zero mobility in the ribs.”
FreeMe Wildlife said this meant that even if Amazing Grace survived, she would not have been able to constrict or eat anything larger than a rat which was insufficient to sustain a snake of her size, otherwise, the larger food item would have lodged at this point of calcification, unable to move further, and it would have been a long slow death.
The organisation thanked everyone who supported it, and the specialists from around the world who helped with advice on the case.
“We appreciate each one of you. Sadly, we don't win them all,” FreeMe Wildlife added.
Last month, FreeMe Wildlife provided an update on Amazing Grace. She had settled into her outside enclosure beautifully and made herself right at home. On sunny, warm days she would pop her head out to bask and had started to explore her surroundings, but never ventured far from her heat and safety in the room.
“She is extremely camera shy, and any movement either causes her to freeze or beat a hasty retreat back under cover,” FreeMe Wildlife said.
Due to the progress she had made, in June, FreeMe Wildlife upgraded her to an outside enclosure with a simulated natural environment and plenty of sunshine.
In April, FreeMe Wildlife was happy that Amazing Grace defecated.
“When we did the first x-rays, we picked up a stool in the digestive tract of the snake. We had a closer look at the CT scan as well. What we knew was that while the stool remained stationary inside the digestive tract of the snake, there would be reason for concern, as any spinal injury could affect the working of the digestive system but snakes don't work quite the same as mammals,” FreeMe Wildlife said.
When she arrived at FreeMe Wildlife, her weight was 31.5kg and she measured 4.5m.
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