Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
National

Stealthy Snake On The Loose In Metro Vancouver Conservation Area

The Canadian Press, 12 Aug, 2015 12:00 PM
    BURNABY, B.C. — A python spotted in a Metro Vancouver conservation area is a long way from its native African home.
     
    City of Burnaby staff saw the snake curled up on a road on Burnaby Mountain near Simon Fraser University around noon on Monday, said Dave Ellenwood, the city's director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural.
     
    Not knowing whether the unusual brown and black reptile was native to the area, workers snapped a picture and took it to a local group that rescues wild animals, which determined the snake is definitely not from B.C.
     
    In fact, the snake — which was less than a metre long — is a ball python, a nonvenomous constrictor.
     
    "What we generally do is we try and consult people who know more than we do about these sort of things," Ellenwood explained. "And that's when they got the information that it was an exotic pet. They speculate that somebody probably dumped it in the park."
     
    Staff returned to the park to capture the snake, but it had slithered into the bushes and couldn't be found.
     
    It's rare that the Burnaby staff see such pets in parks, but it has happened before, Ellenwood says.
     
    "Irresponsible people will think it's a good idea to take an exotic pet and dump it off in an open space, a green space, thinking it would be better off for it."
     
    Abandoned pets are an ongoing problem for animal welfare organizations, b ut exotic pets such as snakes come with their own issues, says Yolanda Brooks, spokeswoman for the Wildlife Rescue Association.
     
    "They obviously get too big for a person or they live for a long time and then they just send them to the habitat that they think will be good for them," she said.
     
    "Just chucking it out and hoping it will fend for itself is not good for the native species, it's not good for your pet."
     
    People should think carefully about owning exotic pets such as pythons because they take a lot of specialized care, Brooks added.
     
    "While owning a dog or a cat is a big commitment, having an exotic pet is an even bigger commitment."
     
    The python likely won't survive very long on Burnaby Mountain because of the cold weather, terrain and predators, Brooks said.
     
    However she said the snake could also present problems for some native animals while it's around.
     
    Ellenwood said staff from both the Burnaby SPCA and the city continued to look for the python Tuesday, and warned park users to keep an eye out for the stealthy reptile.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Crown Says It Could Call As Many As 300 Witnesses At Hells Trial In Montreal

    Crown Says It Could Call As Many As 300 Witnesses At Hells Trial In Montreal
    A murder trial for five alleged Hells Angels began Monday with the Crown saying it might call as many as 300 witnesses.

    Crown Says It Could Call As Many As 300 Witnesses At Hells Trial In Montreal

    British Sailors Charged In Sexual Assault Seeking Permission To Return To U.K.

    HALIFAX — Three of four British sailors charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Halifax are expected in court today to challenge the conditions of their bail.

    British Sailors Charged In Sexual Assault Seeking Permission To Return To U.K.

    Former Newfoundland Liberal To Run In Federal Election As An Independent

    PARADISE, N.L. — A former Liberal MP in Newfoundland and Labrador will run in the federal election as an Independent candidate in Avalon.

    Former Newfoundland Liberal To Run In Federal Election As An Independent

    Better Business Bureau Warning Post-Secondary Students About Rental Scams

    Better Business Bureau Warning Post-Secondary Students About Rental Scams
    CALGARY — The Better Business Bureau is warning post-secondary students looking for a place to rent to do their homework or they could fall victim to a scam.

    Better Business Bureau Warning Post-Secondary Students About Rental Scams

    Parched Sunshine Coast Restricts All Outdoor Watering As Drought Persists

    Parched Sunshine Coast Restricts All Outdoor Watering As Drought Persists
    Drought conditions on B.C.'s Sunshine Coast, north of Vancouver, are so dire that the regional district has hiked watering restrictions to the highest possible level.

    Parched Sunshine Coast Restricts All Outdoor Watering As Drought Persists

    Charter Challenge Against Practice That Saw Cops Posing As Reporters Dismissed

    Charter Challenge Against Practice That Saw Cops Posing As Reporters Dismissed
    TORONTO — An Ontario superior court judge has dismissed a charter challenge filed against a practice that saw a handful of provincial police officers pose as journalists.

    Charter Challenge Against Practice That Saw Cops Posing As Reporters Dismissed