3-Foot Long Snake Found On Golf Course
A three foot long snake was found at the Tucker’s Point Resort this afternoon [May 16] and it has been transported to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo and euthanized.
The snake — likely a Black Racer or similar species — was found on the golf course.
Officials said that “given the significant impacts that any snakes, especially a Black Racer, would have on Bermuda’s ecology the snake has been humanely euthanized.”
The statement from Government said, “The Department of Conservation Services can confirm that a three foot snake was removed from Tucker’s Point Resort this afternoon to the care and control of the zoo staff of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo.
“The snake was found on the golf course, near the pond by the clubhouse and after an examination it was found to be a female, most likely a Black Racer [Coluber constrictor] or a similar species.
“The Black Racer is non-venomous snake that predates on lizards, insects, birds, rodents and frogs. Black racers are found throughout the eastern U.S., from southern Maine to the Florida Keys.
“Racers are faster than most other snakes, very agile, and generally flee when approached, often climbing into small trees or shrubs. They breed April until late summer.
“The Department of Conservation Services can confirm that given the significant impacts that any snakes, especially a Black Racer, would have on Bermuda’s ecology the snake has been humanely euthanized,” concluded the spokesperson.
- File photo of a Coluber constrictor
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Category: All, Environment, News
MURDERERS…….let that animal be .
Wow if you read the overview of the snake it makes you wonder why we dont get rid of the other snakes in the grass,that are also in this country.
Instead of killing the animal, why wasn’t it just given a home in the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo?? wouldn’t that have been the smarter thing to do? *rolls eyes
Who do you think where the ones who killed it??
I don’t believe they are a great ‘pet’ snake, not exactly adapting well to captivity and handling, although I believe there are some that do keep them as pets in the US.
So, I’m not sure if it’s an escapee pet (going from the location it could be) or hitchhiked somehow on something being transported to the area.
Either way, good catch Conservation Services!
Why kill it as oppose to try and display it at the aquarium. The really need more things to see there. It’s so dull
When was the last time you’ve been to the Aquarium???
New additions and new attractions..go have a look.
Dull?
I hope there is more of them, the fauna here is boring… lol
Oh God, no! Please, no snakes here. Our poor frogs have already been decimated and those that are left are suffering with mutations. The dang imported kiskadee marauders have put great effort into killing off our blue birds. The Chick-de-Villie has already all but disappeared. Better this one snake go then our whole eco-system be turned upside down. I would take any bet that she was pregnant too. Hopefully they caught her before she laid eggs. I don’t know the gestation period, but the article speaks of these snakes breeding in April. What are the odds that someone released this creature on purpose?
Frogs aren’t native to Bermuda. They are introduced. The big ones eat native species as part of their diet. The little ones surely have their own impact–not sure what–probably eating little bug species that no one ever knew existed. The Bermudian skink is the only native lizard. There are no native amphibians.
It shouldn’t been kept for sure!
I love the Aquarium. I am surprised this snake was put down. Too bad he couldnt at least get the support the Uigurs got!
The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo is mandated to ‘inspire appreciation and care of island environments’. Accordingly, the animals on display are all from islands; additionally the focus is on rare species, and the facility is part of a species breeding program.
The Black Racer is a relatively common species from continental North America. As such, it does not fit within their mandate as a rare or island species.
Furthermore, as their mandate, and as part of the DoConservation, they also have a responsibility to ensure that threats to Bermuda’s ecology are reduced. Keeping this snake (which also is not known for adjusting to captivity well) would constitute a threat to our island’s ecology, and so they are pretty much mandated to euthanise it humanely.
As a side note, the BAMZ is not primarily an entertainment institution. It is first and foremost an educational and ecological facility. They are also bound by strict regulations as part of their accreditation with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).
Thanks for the informed comment. Amazing what a little research can do to an individual before they go out commenting on decisions they clearly has never hab the opportunity to be a part of. (Former Aquaculture Technician)
Appreciated
Wesley – I’m tired of these mother#$% snakes on this mother&*^ golf course!!
Sorry – Samuel L.!
that’s a healthy lifeform that’s been killed because of some ‘mandate’? Wow, I thought we were more civilised these days.
F%$# off u ppl care bout animals more then humans!!!!!!!
Sure do. What’s wrong with that?
YUP! Animals are defenseless (just like babies) and depend on humans who do nothing but abuse and destroy habitats. Animals need a voice. I am an animal lover. Humans destroy each other and are a barbaric heartless breed at the top of the food chain killing the world for their own selsifh reasons, but they have a choice and a voice, they can make the right decisions or defend themselves but choose to make the wrong decisions and turn a blind eye. I’m not a people lover.
Probably been smuggled in somehow,maybe even on a Private Jet and has got loose…whatever the way it got here,it didnt have a work permit either!!!
I’m glad they killed it!
A snake that comes in by private jet to hang on Tuckers Point golf course. Hmmm its not the first one.
So you wanna kill everything without a work permit? Jeez… maybe it was just a tourist snake.
wasnt a tourist snake…didnt have a bermuda t shirt on
Sheesh man! I sunbathe nude on de golfcourse, and people get all bent out of shape.
Maybe ur snake is too small for anybody be worried about. Um Jus Sayin. LOL
Well it’s all in de news. And three feet? Why that’s just stretching it.
I thought this was a story about DREB?
ROFLMFAO!!!!
that is the best comment ever ever ever….. gold star for you….
no it’s about MAY Bloomberg! May have been his private jet.
@Oppressed: Ha-ha-ha…just caught on! No, although DREB has been known to speak with a forked tongue and slither around on his belly, I have it from reliable sources that this was NOT him!!!
Check those golf bags before they come on board the aircraft……
I also agree,from time to time golfers do find a snake in their bags…
Thank God it wasn’t my pet ten foot boa “hissy”. I’ve been searching for her for weeks!
Take a trip to Guam and see how the brown snake has taken over. To allow a species to exist where it has no natural predators to keep it in check is the basis for killing it. Similar to how we are trying to deal with the introduction of the Lion Fish before they decimate the fish stocks, as they are doing in the Bahamas.
@Mariner: Yeah, I wouldn’t want these creepy crawlies to take over here…seeing as we’re now entering ‘roach season’, it would be one more disgusting pest to deal with-along with those nasty centipedes in the east end.
I’d like to know why some people seem to think that its cool to smuggle snakes here. Unfortunately people have been secretly bringing snakes here for years.
If GOD intended for snakes to be here roaming freely, we would have had them long ago.
Comments like this are the reason aliens see our planet and keep going…
KILL IT WITH FIRE!!
People, please stop jumping to conclusions about what BAMZ can do with this snake. To keep and display a snake is an expense, building an enclosure and keeping it fed isn’t free. Don’t assume this is the first snake taken to the zoo either, like someone else said, their responsibility is the conservation of Bermuda. It’s not a pet. Do you know how easily this species of snake could destroy Bermuda’s beautiful ecosystem? Any species, for that matter? Lets look at the bigger picture here, because even though it may be easy to point a finger and call them murderers, its a reason that these people are employed by BAMZ and the “accusers” are NOT. There’s a reason the people that are educated on matters like this are the ones that made this decision. And FYI, Bermuda is the perfect breeding ground for snakes, ideal temperature range, abundant food source and no competitors, so I advise anyone who sees one in the future to take its life… Humanely of course…. Better yet, just call the professionals.
I’m not buying this ‘humanely’ killing it business. How exactly would you humanely euthanize a snake? I’m sure they didn’t give it a needle to put it to sleep (could a needle even get through its skin?), and I doubt they gassed it (do they have the facilities to do that?).
I’ll bet the entire $11 in my chequing account that they just chopped its head off.
Yes, a needle can go through their skin. And yes, we do have the facilities to euthanise animals for euthanising via gas if needed.
In some jurisdictions I understand that euthanasia through freezing is also considered humane, but I doubt this was the case used here.
I would strongly wager it was euthanised via intravenous injection.
Snakes down Tucker’s Town? hmmmm nothing new.
Not the first time – sounds familiar!
who send them, may we end them, and if a war then, let it happen. Control has to start somewhere.
3ft sounds short for a lawyer.
I thought the snake had moved to another island off the coast of Massachussets.
Gonna take some doing to catch that one. Give it time. That snake will be caught too.
Why couldn’t have been returned to its country of origin? Would US customs and immigration have permitted it to go through preclearance?
I’m sure it would have been much happier there.
There are very strict regulations in place for transporting live animals across borders, and it is unlikely the US authorities would have expedited or even facilitated such transport.
This species is not rare, vulnerable or threatened. It’s almost the equivalent of asking to repatriate a rat back to the USA.
This reminds me of poor Rocco the Raccoon. We couldn’t send him back, either. The Americans would have thought we were losing our minds (would have thought the same thing about the snake) but I felt so sorry for Rocco when they showed a photo of him in a cage, holding onto the bars and peering out not knowing what was in store for him. Poor Rocco just wanted a little adventure and paid for it with his life…he never got a chance to go home and live out his life and take care of Mrs. Rocco and baby Rocco who probably were wondering what happened to him and why he disappeared…
Excuse me, I gotta go-I’m bawling all over my keyboard (sob, choke)…
I’m sure it is much happier there in Oak Snuffs or what ever its called.
Any Snake is bad for Bermuda .
A team needs to go to the area were they found this snake and make sure that theres no more.
FLUSH THEM ALL OUT! NOW!
I wonder what x%$^&&^#+## bought the thing to BERMUDA in the first place.
Snakes are not natural to Bermuda. Get rid of them. Educate our less informed public what happened in Guam with the Brown snakes…no more birds. Silence in the jungle. I simply cannot understand those who would risk Bermuda by smuggling ANY kind of snake in. The ignorance is simply staggering.
why did they kill it?
Snakes, UGH!!! Let’s hope its not like the old saying about mice….. where there is one, there are many.
It being female and being found during its reproduction period, it is entirely possible.
BREAKING NEWS: A three foot long snake (zanium desilvium) was found at the Port Royal Golf Course this afternoon [May 16] and it has been transported to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo.
ROTFLMFAO!!! Can it be identified as being really greasy looking?
Humanely euthanized? Really?? If I found that thing slithering around my yard, it would have been euthanized with a shovel.
Love snakes
Too bad they’re illegal here.
Duane Santucci’s comments excellent …was he inferring to get rid of the starlings too?
The snake was prolly on , way k shone ,.. Den ,… som bolly came a long and ruined his day.
Den he was turned over to Government who said
” i heard they make good soup,”
Den the guy who ratted the snake out felt bad and took him round to the people who he thought would get the guy back on the Bus and sent home , ver he could tell all about Bermuda golf courses and the tastey cameleons and what not… Buh Nooooo0ooo!
instead , the lot he turned the snake into , prolly ,.. had him for dinner inwiting over the government official that said he heard they make a great tasting soup…
Den these lot make up some sorta story how the one snake is going to single out the Bermudian eco system and bring it to its Knees and had to be put down as some sorta vironmental terrorist or whatever…
lol