Ongoing MPI investigation into how the snake got to New Zealand

An investigation is underway to understand how a snake crossed the New Zealand border and reached a construction site in Auckland yesterday.

The snake has been formally identified as a juvenile male carpet python with no reproductive risk.

Biosecurity New Zealand’s team manager, aquatic and environmental health, Michael Taylor, said the snake was too big to be a hatchling, but had not yet reached sexual maturity.

“There was nothing in his gut to indicate that he had not eaten for at least two or three weeks.”

He said that while an investigation is underway to determine how the snake entered the country, early indications suggest that the snake had entered a pipe that had then been sealed at both ends before being imported from Australia.

There is no evidence of more snakes and there is no threat to the public.

Taylor said the 115 cm snake could be alive when it was found by contractors.

“The snake was reported to be dead when Biosecurity New Zealand was notified, but appears to be alive when the construction worker found it.”

University of Queensland venom researcher Brian Fry said the snake most likely came from Australia.

He said that carpet pythons are found throughout Australia, but the greatest diversity is found in warmer areas of the country.

A carpet python couldn’t survive in New Zealand’s colder temperatures, he said.

“It wouldn’t have lasted long.”

“Being late summer, it may have persisted for a while. It may have climbed into someone’s attic, but they need to be able to bask in the sun so they can get warm enough to hunt properly and feed.”

“Even if he had climbed into someone’s attic, he would have slowly starved to death because he wouldn’t get hot enough to be able to feed or sunbathe.”

He said snakes need to bask in the sun after eating to warm up and digest their food properly.

“Otherwise the food will just rot in their intestines if they are too cold after eating.”

MPI said that about one or two snakes cross the border each year, while another four to eight are found at the border.

“Normally they are not poisonous and most of them arrive dead, due to the treatment of imported cargo. Five snakes were detected at the border in 2020, all were dead.”

The snake was found yesterday at a construction site in Papakura where contractors were cleaning a new pipeline.

Contractors were cleaning the new pipe at the construction site in Papakura before laying it, which is when the snake came out.