Man shepherds python across Australian road

  • 08/06/2017
western australia pilbara rock python
The harmless python grows up to 4 metres long. Photo credit: Facebook

An Australian man acted as a crossing guard for a 2.5m-long python trying to cross a busy highway, allowing it safe passage before taking a photo lying next to it.

Matthew Bager spotted the Pilbara Rock Olive python crossing the road at the Dampier Port Authority in Western Australia on Wednesday, but first confused it for a ship's mooring line, the Daily Mail reports.

He says it was on the ground for around five minutes before he touched its tail to encourage it to get a wriggle on.

A photo of him lying next to it, but from a safe distance, was posted to Facebook and shows just how long the reptile can get.

But while the python is easily longer than Mr Bager, they species can grow up to four metres long.

The python is only found in the Pilbara area of Western Australia and normally lives in rocky areas and caves.

They're non-venomous and harmless to humans, but are often killed after being mistaken for the venomous King Brown snake.

Newshub.