SINGAPORE — Singapore’s Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) is appealing for information on a group of men filmed attacking and killing a snake at a market.

The animal welfare charity posted on social media a video it received at 11.25pm on Tuesday (April 18), which showed several men hitting a reticulated python outside Boon Lay Place Market using crates and pails.

They are also seen kicking the reptile and grabbing it by its tail to drag it along.

After bringing the python into the market, one of the men uses a cleaver to chop at its head, killing the creature.

The men can be heard laughing throughout the video, which Acres said was a screen recording sent by a concerned member of the public.

Acres is appealing for any eyewitnesses as well as information on the men in the video.

The animal group said it was “shocked and disturbed by the celebratory tone and all the cheering in inflicting suffering and death” on a protected species of snake native to Singapore.

It noted that there were no indications of anyone in the video calling relevant authorities like the National Parks Board (NParks) or Acres for help.

“Such incidents involving killing or hurting snakes have been happening repeatedly, and we hope that this case will result in prosecuting the individuals involved, serving a severe deterrence for the future of our animals in the community,” said Acres.

Acres said it conducted investigations and interviews at Boon Lay Place Market on Wednesday morning, and has since submitted information to NParks for the agency to investigate.

CNA has contacted the Animal and Veterinary Service under NParks for more information.

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