Karatay Municipality Zoo, which holds the distinction of being the first and only zoo in Konya, is a popular destination for the people of Konya. The presence of a 5.5-meter-long, 65-kilogram python here captivates the onlookers.
Karatay Municipality Mayor Hasan Kılca, within the scope of Foster Family Day, met with foster families in Karatay City Park in Konya. He had a fun time with the children and had the opportunity to individually interact with each child. After the program, Mayor Kılca, along with protocol members, visited Karatay Municipality Zoo, which holds the distinction of being the first and only zoo in Konya. He witnessed enjoyable moments at the zoo.
Abdurrahman Pirinç, the veterinarian at Karatay Municipality Zoo, made striking statements about the python, which is 12 years old, 5.5 meters long, and weighs 65 kilograms. Vet Pirinç provided information that python snakes are not venomous and kill their prey by constriction. He said, "Python are slow and calm animals, so they are not prone to excessive movement. That's why they are prone to gaining weight. When we look at the average age of pythons, there are larger ones in some scales, but currently, the largest python in terms of length and weight in Turkey is found in Karatay Municipality Zoo. Our zoo has been in existence since 2002, and this particular snake has been living here for approximately 10 years."
Pirinç also mentioned that a citizen had initially acquired the python as a hobby but eventually became unable to take care of it. He stated, "We have animals in our zoo that come from national parks or Wildlife Conservation Centers. A citizen had obtained this python for a hobby, but after reaching a certain size, the snake's maintenance and feeding expenses, as well as its weight, increased to the point where the owner could no longer take care of it. Therefore, they made the decision to donate it to our zoo."
