GAIGHAT: A 13 feet long python was found at the Machhapuchchhre community forest at Thoksila of Rampur in Udayapur district recently.

A forest guard spotted the rare reptile in a small hole on the base of a saal tree in the middle of the forest, Shree Prasad Baral, chief of the District Forest Office, said.

Meanwhile, police and the forest office officials released the reptile at the Belkatari forest as Baral instructed the same.

According to Baral, pythons are found mostly in the Chure and Mahabharat hills of eastern Udayapur.

Udayapur has the largest forest area among districts in the eastern region of the country.

This is the first time that such a long python was found in the district.