30-06-2025
Rangers search for owner of pet snake left on Bundaberg footpath
Wildlife rangers have been puzzled by the discovery of a snake left in an enclosure on a Bundaberg footpath.
The Department of Environment said a man walking his dog made the unusual discovery in Avenell Heights and took the reptile home before alerting authorities.
Wide Bay senior wildlife ranger Amanda Yates said it had been a "very strange" mission to find who owned the albino Darwin carpet python.
"It wouldn't be a wild animal. This animal, they're not found in this region at all, so we're definitely making the assumption that it's a captive born and bred animal.
"There are a lot of different forms and morphs of carpet pythons that people breed now."
The reptile was found last week, but rangers are at a loss to explain how it ended up on the street.
"The animal is in very good condition. It's currently in our care and is eating well," Ms Yates said.
"If [anyone has] had a tank and a reptile stolen or if anybody has any information about who may have left the animal there, definitely give us a call."
Ms Yates said when rangers received reports about non-endemic snakes being found, it was normally obvious what had happened.
Ms Yates reminded the public that people needed a permit to keep snakes as household pets in Queensland.
