Python Surprise! Exotic snake found hiding in car engine in Green Bay

WGBA, GREEN BAY PD, CNN

By Tyler Job

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    GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (WGBA) — Imagine checking under the hood of your car and finding a python slithering in your engine! That recently happened to someone in Green Bay.
“It’s kind of scary, Ellen Chaudoir of Green Bay said. “I never thought anybody would be able to find a python underneath the hood of their car.”

Chaudoir didn’t find the exotic animal. But she lives near the 2300 block of Pecan Street where the snake was found.

“For one thing, I don’t like snakes,” Chaudoir said. “Another thing, it just seems so unreal.”

“It’s not a common thing that we see,” Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary Curator of Animals Lori Bankson said.

As someone who’s worked at the wildlife sanctuary for 25 years, Bankson said this rescue was a rarity.

“The owner of the vehicle was not the owner of the snake,” Bankson said.

Bankson said the python somehow got loose. She said the snake was first seen in a garage, before eventually being found under the hood of a car.

“Most likely, the snake crawled up into this person’s engine to stay warm, and found a good place to hang out for a little while,” Bankson said.

Bankson said the car owner safely drove over to the wildlife sanctuary with the reptile. Pecan Street is more than four miles away.

“They gave the OK that yeah, the snake should be fine if you drive the car over,” Bankson said.

Bankson, along with a colleague and animal control, safely removed the python.

She said the snake is now being cared for at a rescue.

“Eventually then, will be given a good home,” Bankson said. “They’ll find a home for it.”

Police said the reptile was a 7-foot-long Jungle Carpet Python.

Bankson said the snake is from Australia.

“From what I understand, this is a very popular animal in the exotic pet field and the exotic pet trade,” Bankson said.

Green Bay Municipal Code explains that a permit is required for people to keep exotic animals.

Police said there is not a known permit for this kind of snake.

But despite some legal questions surrounding this rescue, Bankson said nobody was injured.

“It was an exciting afternoon, but we glad it went well,” Bankson said.

Bankson said if you ever encounter a snake slithering around in your engine, call animal control and do not start your car right away.

Green Bay’s law department tells NBC 26 in an update that the Wisconsin Humane Society-Green Bay took in the python and is fostering it until it can be moved to a permanent location.

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