World news – African Union – Huge Burmese albino snake caught from home and euthanized

A huge strange snake was seized from a house in Australia this week after apparently being smuggled into the country illegally, wildlife officials say.

Authorities said a nine-foot Burmese python was found inside a house in Ballarat, Victoria, on Thursday and euthanized because it poses a potential risk to members of the public, the ecosystem of the local animals and agriculture.. .

The police said that the investigation of where the snake came from and how it was brought into the state is still ongoing, and they have not revealed the identity of the owner of the house.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning said in a statement that it was recovered after officers from multiple agencies – including the Ministry of Agriculture of Victoria and Victoria Police – conducted a search warrant for a person’s property..

Officials said keeping or illegally trading exotic animals « is one of the biggest risks of creating new pests in Victoria and Australia, » noting that it could be costly if any species were intentionally released or escaped from the packages into the wild.

“We are always alarmed when we discover an exotic reptile in Victoria because of the enormous threat it poses to the biodiversity and agriculture of Victoria,” Jared Priestley, Wildlife Officer at the conservation organizer, said in a statement. He warned that any animal imported illegally could affect the natural environment if it carries exotic diseases.

Priestley told 9News media that the snake might have been bought illegally on the black market, where the species could be sold for tens of thousands of dollars. .

« Due to the size of the snake and the biosecurity risks it caused, it was taken to a vet yesterday afternoon and eliminated, » he said.. . “It could have been part of a wildlife smuggling operation. It is very rare to find them in Victoria.

Experts say Burmese pythons are non-toxic snakes native to Southeast Asia that can grow up to 26 feet and weigh more than 200 pounds. .

In the wild, the species usually reaches about 16 feet in length. Regardless of size, it can be devastating to domestic animals if it begins to breed in the wild.

Florida snakes are classified as an invasive species because they continue to thrive in the Everglades and compete with local wildlife for food.. The decline in the mammal population in the park has been linked to the capture of the Burmese python.

For example, the population of raccoons has decreased by more than 99 percent, opossums by 98 percent, and bobcats by 87 percent, since snakes gained a foothold there in the 1990s. The US Geological Survey said, « The swamp rabbits, cotton rabbits, and foxes have virtually disappeared. ». .

“The most serious declines in native species have occurred in the remote southern regions of the Everglades, where eels have been established for the longest period..

Victoria Police Inspector Dan Davison told 9News that law enforcement takes any case of wildlife smuggling seriously.. In Australia, possession of illegally imported animals or their offspring can lead to 10 years in prison and fines of up to 110,000 Australian dollars (80,000 USD).. )

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Pythons, Burmese python, Victoria, Ballarat, Snake