A 14 foot Burmese python was saved from starvation after being spotted in the undergrowth near a popular dog walking trial, in the Hong Kong country park.

Captured by local police, the magnificent reptile was found to have a nylon tie wrapped tightly around its body. The ligature was digging deep into the flesh, preventing it from eating.

Nylon ties are used by the construction industry to support bamboo scaffolding. They are used to support structures hundreds of feet high, weighing tons and supporting teams of construction workers.

They are unbreakable.

Ongoing construction of new village houses throughout the Country Park territory has resulted in the clearing of large areas of jungle. Over the past three decades village expansion has encroached further into the python habitat.

When construction work is complete and the scaffolding is removed, the jungle floor is littered with these discarded ties.

As loss of habitat is one of the main factors that has landed the Burmese python on the threatened species list, these ties pose a significant threat to the survival of the species.

After removal of the ligature, the snake was sent to a local wild snake rescue facility.