A Boa Constrictor is ‘At Large’ in Sydney’s Western Suburbs

A boa constrictor is believed to be “at large” in the suburbs of western Sydney after a huge, freshly shed snakeskin was found hanging at a construction site last week. Residents of the Cascades Estate residential complex in Silverdale received letters from the New South Wales government on Friday warning them that the dangerous snake was thought to be roaming the area, The Guardian reports.

“NSW government has reason to believe there is an adult boa constrictor snake ‘at large’ in or around the Cascades Estate,” the letter read. “NSW government is in the process of trying to locate and capture the animal and is requesting the residents be on the lookout for it and to report any sightings.”

The letter included a cheat sheet with some key facts about boa constrictors, including that “they are a serious threat to animals and humans” and that, while not venomous, “they bite and strangle their prey.” Anyone who happens to encounter the boa is being urged to “observe and, if possible, photograph the animal” but “do not make contact.”

It is illegal to keep boa constrictors outside of zoos in Australia—meaning this particular snake has probably managed to escape either the enclosure of the local wildlife centre, or the clutches of someone who was keeping it illegally in the first place. The Department of Primary Industries states that “the boa constrictor’s jaws are lined with small, hooked teeth which are used for grabbing and holding prey while it is wrapped around and suffocated by the snake.”

Professional snake handler Sean Kade, who was called to the Cascades Estate, said the snake would be "looking for a feed" by now if it hadn't eaten something substantial, Fairfax reports. Pets could very much be on the menu, he added, noting that a boa "could potentially take out a cat or a small dog quite easily".

In the event that the fugitive serpent is located, the government said biosecurity officers would employ a licensed snake catcher to snare it and transport it to a specialist veterinarian.

“The snake will be examined to determine where it came from, how long it has been in the area, what it has been eating, whether it’s carrying any diseases of concern and whether it has produced offspring,” they said.

Until then, though, the search continues.

This isn't the only time in recent memory that a giant snake's gone rogue in the suburbs. Earlier this year, a 2.7 meter reticulated python was found in a woman's garden in Cambridge after escaping its owner's enclosure and spending five days on the run.

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