Fears huge boa constrictor on the loose near Sydney could snatch a small child – as snake catchers step up their search to find it before it KILLS
- A 2.5metre snake went missing last Wednesday in Silverdale, New South Wales
- The snake’s freshly-shed skin was hanging from wooden planks at a property
- The NSW Government has warned residents to not approach the deadly reptile
The search for a huge boa constrictor has been ramped up as fears have been raised that it could snatch a small child.
The 2.5metre snake went missing last Wednesday in the Cascades area of Silverdale, on Sydney’s south-western outskirts.
A contractor found the snake’s freshly-shed skin hanging from wooden planks at a property on Torumba Circuit.
The reptile’s fresh shed skin was found hanging from wooden planks at a property on Torumba Circuit
Sean Cade, from Australian Snake Catchers, has joined the search for the deadly serpent after NSW Government warned residents to not approach the deadly reptile.
Speaking to The Today Show on Tuesday, he stressed the snake is a threat to pets, wildlife and even children.
‘This is a two and a half metre snake and its sort of the thickness of my calf muscle, and I don’t have skinny legs by any means. It is quite a big heavy, robust snake. And these guys take down prey four times their size, so it is quite easy to take a full grown cat, rabbit or guinea pig.
‘If it comes across a small child that’s the concern we have, we’re just worried it might get into a backyard, the kid might startle it and the snake sort of lunges out in defence and causes some injuries, that’s the major thing.’
He said what it chooses to prey on depends on what it has been fed while in captivity.
Boa constrictors, which strangles its prey, are rarely dangerous to humans, but strike when they perceive a threat.
The reptiles not allowed to be kept as pets in New South Wales and they are considered to be a serious threat to humans and wildlife.
NSW Government has been working to locate and capture the animal and has requested residents be on the lookout for it and to report any sightings.
The boa constrictor is prohibited in NSW, is considered to be a serious threat to humans and wildlife (stock)
Sean Cade, from Australian Snake Catchers, has joined the search for the deadly serpent after NSW Government warned residents to not approach the deadly animal, which strangles its prey
‘Biosecurity Officers from Greater Sydney Local Land Services are currently working to locate and capture the animal.
‘Once located, a licensed snake catcher will be contracted to catch the snake and transport it to a specialist veterinarian.’
The boa constrictor is native to Central and South America and can only be found in zoos in Australia for conservation reasons.
Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), and the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth) the non-venoumous reptile is restricted due to its threat to Australia’s environment, economy and the wider community.
The illegal importation of the snake could often lead to animal cruelty and is classified as a Prohibited Dealing under the Biosecurity Act 2015.
It is an offence to keep the boa constrictor unless exempted under the Exhibited Animals Protection Act 1986 or Animal Research Act 1985.