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A FIVE-FOOT-LONG Burmese python has been found abandoned in the Wicklow Mountains, the ISPCA said today.
The organisation, which is Ireland’s largest animal welfare organisation, is appealing for information after the snake (newly named Sammi) was found in the Wicklow Mountains National Park over the weekend.
The ISPCA said the snake was secured by a National Parks and Wildlife representative, who had been alerted by a local farmer.
These pythons are one of the largest species of snakes in the world, and are native to South and Southeast Asia, where they thrive in tropical areas. They’ve been known to grow to 17 or 18 feet.
The five foot long snake, believed to be female, was found to be underweight, dehydrated and injured. She has now been placed in the care of a reptile specialist.
ISPCA Chief Inspector Conor Dowling said that the snake was most likely abandoned – and into an environment she is completely unsuited for.
“In addition to the potentially illegal release of a non-native species, there are numerous possible offences under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013,” he said. “This snake did not make its own way up the Wicklow Mountains and we believe that it was abandoned and left in an environment not suited to an animal of this type. We suspect that it had been abandoned some days prior to her discovery but we also have reason to be concerned about the care that it was receiving prior to its release”.
The snake is described as “hanging in there” but it is still very uncertain as to whether she will pull through.
Mr Dowling added:
Animals such as Sammi have very specialised environmental requirements and will suffer slow, lingering deaths in normal Irish weather conditions. During the exceptional summer last year, the ISPCA rescued two snakes which were active due to the warm weather. It raises the question how many animals of this type are out there dying slowly after being discarded by irresponsible owners that no longer want them.
The ISPCA is calling for stronger regulations around the breeding, keeping and selling of exotic animals as pets
If anyone has any information about Sammi, they can contact the ISPCA by calling the ISPCA National Animal Cruelty Helpline on 1890 515 515 or emailing helpline@ispca.ie in confidence.
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It’s one thing to see this as a pet and keep it confined to a tank in your bedroom in your mammy’s house, it’s quite another to abandon it. Not only should there be regulations around keeping exotic animals as pets, but anybody thick enough to unleash them (on the rest of us) should face criminal charges (and yes, I am totally freaked out at the thought of a huge python slithering around Wicklow).
@A Raghait: agreed.
@A Raghait: I thought Charlie was only visiting the National Park for a day??
That means there’s 2 snakes slithering around Wicklow between this fella and Simon Harris
@Alex Nevin: pythons are shy and harmless to humans unless it’s a very small human and the python is very hungry .. hmm maybe better not to find them in unexpected places all the same. Hope it survives its mistreatment.
@kehe: that’s Grand so. Only eat my kids next time we go camping
ST. PATRICK!!!!!!
Poor creature. Whoever abandoned it is pure sçum. Nice to see people making jokes about animal cruelty… Shows who the real lower species are.
Another unelected county council candidate.
Slow lingering death? That is awful.
Imagine being that cruel.
Return it to the Dail ASAP…..
Snakes… why’d it have to be snakes?
You had one job Paddy.
Well spotted by that farmer. Not a creature you’d expect underfoot. Hope it recovers. Hope it was the only one out there.
Jesus even snakes are emigrating to here now?
I thought he was in India! The slippery snake!
@Shane Murphy: you absolute cheeseball
Never thought that I would have to watch out for snakes in Ireland. Cannot stand the creatures. St Patrick had the right idea.
The poor creature.
Good suffering Jaysus….
Florida wildlife services will give you $75 for that snake as part of their elimination Programme
Change name to Paddy Lucky
@Means of escape: Rightly so. It’s an invasive species there, that has been propagating in the Everglades like crazy, threatening the real local wildlife to the extent that parts of it may become or has become extinct.
I hope that won’t happen here, but these snakes can lay a lot of eggs at a time.
@Finn H. Schoyen: agreed. They’d eat a manatee if they could
@Finn H. Schoyen: i remember see tv news about small plane crash in Everglades as lot snakes free from cage broke.mine friend got reward $$$ For kill python about 25-20 years ago
Lack of housing won’t go away ..
Why are the sale of these animals as pets not banned? There should be no entitlement to own or have such an animal.
Think I’d prefer the syringes than this,
Shovel over the head and whack it on the Barbie
Am I suggesting that a single female snake could reproduce and overtake the country?
Of course not, that would be silly. I’m simply saying that life…..finds a way.
What could u expect from the Catholic Church kick up the ass for st patrick me thinks
have your say