Feb. 18 (UPI) — Officials with a California park said they are searching for a large ball python spotted slithering on the loose after apparently being abandoned by its owner.
Anna Hoffman said she was hiking with friends at Anthony Chabot Regional Park, near Oakland, when she spotted the snake and snapped photos.
“I was frankly terrified because I’m really scared of snakes,” Hoffman told KNTV.
Hoffman alerted park officials, who initially identified the snake as a red-tailed boa constrictor, but later said it appeared to be a ball python.
Neither boa constrictors nor ball pythons are venomous or dangerous to humans, experts said.
“It appears to be an adult snake. It was probably a pet someone had four to 20 years, decided they didn’t want it anymore and discarded it like a piece of garbage,” Oakland Zoo Manager Adam Fink said. “The chances of them harming you is zero.”
Officials said park staff are searching for the snake, but the park encompasses 3,304 acres and provides plenty of hiding spots.
“Park staff has been informed and are keeping an eye out for it. If it is found, our stewardship staff will collect it and work with the Oakland Zoo to assess its health and determine proper long-term placement,” East Bay Regional Park District spokeswoman Jen Vanya told KRON-TV.
Vanya said park visitors who spot the loose snake should keep a safe distance and, if possible, snap a photo and make note of the location for park staff.
“It is safest for both visitors and the snake if you do not approach it or try to capture it,” Vanya said.
The spokeswoman said officials are concerned for the python’s long-term safety.
“The snake may be in danger, as it is not native to our Bay Area climate, which is much colder than its native habitat of warm tropical forests or grasslands,” she said.