Prony the Python, Alburquerque, Bohol

Part 11 of the Libotero Bohol Series

DAY 2.

After a cruise of the very green Loboc River, we proceeded to our next destination, the town of Alburquerque.

From Loboc, we drove back to the direction of Tagbilaran City. Alburquerque is a fifth class municipality and it is the 2nd town away from Tagbilaran on the eastern side.

Alburquerque, or more popularly known to locals as “Albur”, is one of the towns in Bohol that produces the best calamay, a sticky sweet delicacy made of coconut milk, sugar and ground glutinous rice.

Just recently though, the town is gaining popularity due to another attraction: a snake!

But it’s no ordinary snake as Prony, named after its captor Sofronio Salibay, is the biggest and longest python in captivity! Prony was only 5 kilos heavy and 5 feet long when she was captured in October 1996 but after almost fifteen years, she has grown exponentially and is now about 27 feet long and over 300 kilos heavy! Imagine that!

You must be wondering what Prony’s favorite food is… Mind you, Prony is one choosy snake! Give her two goats or one white pig, and they must be live during feeding time or Prony will just snub them. After that, she’s good and can sleep for the whole month!

Unfortunately, Prony was asleep when we visited. She even seemed like she was dead LOL. But I guess that’s just how old and huge animals work,… slow, immobile, much like the giant crocodile in Davao.

After taking the above photo, we were ready to leave when we noticed that people started to gather around Prony’s cage. Has she awaken? No. But someone with a megaphone came and called the crowd. She introduced herself as Marimar.

Marimar

Marimar, nephew of Sofronio, proudly announced that she was the ‘caretaker’ of Prony. She gave a 5-minute litany, in full English, and shared to us how Prony was captured, Prony’s eating habits and Prony’s hygiene, among others. Amusing, really!

Marimar then showed us a pair of lingerie made from snake skin and added that those actually fitted her (him).

And when we thought that the entertainment was over, Marimar led us to a covered court beside Prony’s cage then she started to lip synch, with exaggerated facial expressions, some Mariah Carey hits.. The crowd cheered and clearly had a good time. Such scene really tells a lot about the Filipinos. We’re simple, easy-to-please, fun-loving people! Happy and Positive vibes all over!

ABOUT: Prony the Python is the centerpiece attraction of a mini-zoo located in Barangay Filomena, Alburquerque, Bohol, just 12 kilometers away from Tagbilaran City. For a minimal entrance fee of P10 per head, one gets to see Prony the Python (and when visiting on the right season, get inside her cage for a photo op!), some other animals in the mini-zoo and entertainment by Marimar!

(…to be continued)