An 8ft long python was caught after it entered a civet's cage and devoured the mammal at a coffee plantation in Thailand.

The serpent slithered through the large holes of the enclosure's wire mesh fence and pounced on the civet being kept to produce civet coffee at the farm in Krabi province on June 4.

The owner was bringing food and water to the mongoose-like animal but was confused when it was nowhere to be seen.

Lying in a corner of the cage instead was the sated serpent, its belly distended from swallowing the missing civet.

Animal control officers were called to haul the beast away.

Footage shows how the volunteers used a noose to poke at the lethargic python busy digesting its meal.

The reptile was easily captured as it was too full and heavy to escape. Its belly bulged as it was thrown into a sack to be released in the wild.

The owner said: 'The python may have come from the nearby trees and entered the civet's enclosure to eat it. I'll install better wire fences next time to keep snakes from breaching the cage.'

Civet coffee is a popular type of coffee that is made from coffee beans that have been digested by civets. The civet's digestive enzymes break down the proteins in the coffee beans, which results in a smoother and less acidic cup of coffee. It is considered to be a delicacy by some coffee enthusiasts.