Permanently Fluffy
Fluffy now has a permanent home in Columbus, Ohio. She'll be dining on a couple of rabbits each week and entertaining visitors to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on a permanent basis - up until now she was merely visiting. Fluffy is billed as the largest python in captivity, by the way.
The zoo paid $35,000 to the snake's breeder in Oklahoma to keep the reticulated python on permanent display. While on loan last year, the python helped draw 1.53 million visitors, just under the zoo's attendance record of 1.56 million set in 2006, said Pete Fingerhut, the zoo's associate director.
Fluffy is about as long as a moving van and thick as a telephone pole.
Bob Clark, the breeder from Oklahoma City who raised the python from a hatchling, initially resisted the zoo's purchase offer but said he's happy with the outcome.
"I really love that snake; I think it's a special animal," he said. "It's so big and tame and wonderful. But I have to deal with the realities of life like everyone else. I like to have the money, and I know she's got a great place to live there."
The Columbus Zoo doesn't buy animals very often, said Executive Director Jerry Borin. Its animals generally come as exchanges from other zoos or through breeding loans or donations, he said.
We strongly encourage the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to keep a very careful count of zookeepers and visitors. And make sure that the snakes doesn't suddenly develop an overly large bulge in her physique. They should also be aware that snakes named Fluffy have a history of jailbreaks.
By Mockin'bird, Sunday, 13 January , 2008 @ 11:43 am
Fluffy’s not going anywhere. In fact, she’s wrapping up her current project.