SONG – A four-foot snake described by the complainant as a golden-ringed specimen was captured in a residential garden in the Song town on Friday after APM emergency responders were called to the scene.
The District Operations Control Centre received the report and dispatched APM Song’s Charlie Squad, a four-member team from the local civil defence auxiliary, to attend the call placed through the main emergency line. The team returned to base in a safe condition after the capture.
Responders used the pinning technique to secure the reptile, which was described as approximately four feet long. The operation was led by Bujang Ak Bundan, who heads the squad on duty. The snake was restrained and removed from the garden without injury to the team or residents.
Local civil defence control centres in Sarawak play a routine role in animal removal and similar community incidents, and residents are routinely urged to call authorised emergency numbers rather than attempt removals themselves. Sarawak authorities advise the public to contact their district operations centre or call 999 in urgent situations.
The snake’s appearance, bands of yellow or gold contrasted with darker scales, is consistent with the broadly known “gold-ringed” or gold-ringed cat snake found in parts of Southeast Asia. Such species are arboreal and are encountered periodically in towns close to forested or riparian areas.
While some gold-ringed cat snakes are rear-fanged and capable of delivering venom, they are not among the most commonly recorded causes of serious envenoming in Malaysia. Local wildlife authorities and rescue teams therefore handle identification and safe removal.
Pinning, the technique used by the squad, is one of several capture methods that trained responders may employ to restrain a snake prior to relocation. Guidance published for community rescue teams urges caution when handling wild snakes and recommends that only trained personnel undertake such operations to reduce risk to both humans and the animal. Residents are advised not to attempt direct capture or handling themselves.
The incident comes amid a rise in domestic snake-related call-outs reported nationally in recent months, underscoring the frequency with which emergency and animal-rescue teams are asked to remove reptiles from homes and public spaces.
National reporting indicates thousands of such interventions are logged annually, reflecting both human expansion into natural habitats and seasonal movements of wildlife.
For emergencies in the Song area, contact PKOD APM Song or call 999. Residents should keep a safe distance from any wild animal and await assistance from trained responders.
