Indonesian man's arm nearly bitten off as he tries to catch giant python

An Indonesian security guard nearly had his arm severed after he was attacked by a giant python on Sep 30.

According to The Straits Times, the guard, Robert Nababan, came across the huge serpent while patrolling an oil palm plantation in the remote Batang Gansal subdistrict of Sumatra island.

The 37-year-old, who eats snakes sometimes, tried to catch the python and stuff it into a gunny sack.

His slithery adversary, however, did not want to go down without a fight and a struggle broke out.

The snake bit Nababan's left arm during the fracas, nearly severing it from his body.

Thankfully, another security guard, as well as other villagers, intervened. 

The python was hit on the head with a log, displayed in the village and eventually chopped up into parts for a huge feast.

Nababan was sent to hospital in a neighbouring town for treatment after his ordeal.

Local police chief Sutarja told AFP that the 'unbelievably huge' snake was 7.8 metres long.

Giant pythons are known to be found in Indonesia and the Philippines. They regularly grow up to 6 metres in length.