Boa constrictor captured after days of being on the loose in Sydney's south
In short:
A boa constrictor has been found and captured after days of sightings in Sydney's south.
Footage emerged online of the large snake on the loose, which a professional believed to be a red-tailed boa constrictor.
Red-tailed boa constrictors are not native to Australia and can be victim of the illegal pet trade.
A large boa constrictor has been captured in Sydney's south after days of sightings.
Footage initially emerged on Facebook on Monday, after a user said the reptile was apparently seen near a bridge in Sylvania over the weekend.
It since garnered concerned curiosity from locals as residents were told to keep an eye out.
On Thursday afternoon, the reticulated snake was spotted at the Sylvania Boat Camp, having not moved very far from where it was originally seen over the weekend.
The boa constrictor is believed to have been spotted over the weekend. (Facebook: Daniel Hughes)
Snake catcher Tyler Gibbons from Shire Snake Wranglers, was called to the scene where he managed to rescue the boa after onlookers witnessed the reptile basking in the sun.
He told ABC Radio Sydney the snake was 1.5 metres long and a juvenile, having "a lot of growing to do".
Describing the reptile as calm and very healthy, Mr Gibbons said he did not face that much difficulty capturing the snake.
"They are very placid, boas … he never tried to bite me or anything like that. So, yeah, they're beautiful snakes," Mr Gibbons said.
The snake will go to the NSW Department of Primary Industries where its fate remains unclear.
'They won't attack unless they're being defensive'
Andrew Melrose is a professional snake catcher in the Shire region.
He said the snake from the video appeared to be a red-tailed boa constrictor.
"There's no real danger towards people unless somebody tries to grab it. They can bite, they've got lots of big, sharp teeth," Mr Melrose said.
"You wouldn't want something that size around a neck or something like that, but they're generally animals that won't attack a person for no reason unless they're being defensive."
Snake catcher Andrew Melrose works in the Shire region. (Supplied)
Red-tailed boa constrictors are not native to Australia and are typically found in parts of Central and South America.
They can also be victim of the illegal pet trade.
"It's not the first time one of these [boa constrictors] has ever turned up before," Mr Melrose said.
"We still have had a couple turn up amongst snake catchers in Sydney each year."
Constrictors cause risk to native snakes
It is illegal to own or keep boa constrictors as pets in Australia. (Wikimedia Commons: Christopher Borges)
It is illegal to own or keep boa constrictors as pets in Australia, as they are considered a prohibited invasive animal under the Biosecurity Act.
The boa constrictor can feed on a wide variety of animals including small mammals, birds and their eggs, bats, small lizards and occasionally amphibians.
One of the primary concerns with the boa constrictor is the chance of it carrying viruses such as inclusion body disease, which are fatal for Australian snakes.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development said people could report an unusual animal sighting or suspect illegal activities involving non-native animals in the state via their Biosecurity Helpline on 1800 680 244.