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An investigation has been launched after the remains of a snake were found at a North Shore home.
North Shore resident, Dominic Guzzo, posted on a Facebook group saying he found the dead snake between the spa and his house in Takapuna while he went to take a dip.
“I thought maybe my flatmate had put a rubber snake back there, but I took a closer look, and it was too detailed for that,” Guzzo told Stuff earlier today.
“It was quite bizarre and a bit disconcerting,” he said.
Guzzo, who lives at least a kilometre away from the coast, said he has no idea how the snake made its way onto the property.
When Guzzo found the snake it was dead and dried up, although “still fleshy”, suggesting it had been there for a moderate amount of time.
Guzzo thought his flatmate was playing a prank on him when he found the remains by his spa pool. Photo / Dominic Guzzo
Ministry of Primary Industries Biosecurity New Zealand’s acting director of diagnostics and surveillance services Joseph O’Keefe said an investigation is ongoing into the snake and how it got there.
“Biosecurity New Zealand is aware of the discovery of the dried-out remains of a snake in a backyard in Auckland,” O’Keefe said.
“Our investigators have visited the address to inspect the property and determine the circumstances of the discovery.”
However, he said due to the condition of the remains, the exact species of the snake had not yet been determined.
“We do know that it was non-venomous and it is unlikely this type of snake would be able to survive here,” O’Keefe said. “Our investigation is ongoing.”
O’Keefe said alerts from the public are an important part of New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, allowing authorities to act quickly to investigate any potential threats.
“We encourage New Zealanders to report unusual organisms to MPI on our pests-and-diseases hotline on 0800 80 99 66.”
Last month, a live and highly venomous snake was spotted on Takapuna Beach, while an Auckland woman was out for a walk.
The snake is still alive and being kept at Auckland Zoo.
A research scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science who specialises in sea snake ecology and distribution, Vinay Udyawer, told the Herald earlier that sightings of these snakes could increase as the climate warms, and it “may not be far off” until they could establish themselves here.
