Snake Rescue

The latest animal to be rescued by the Animal Welfare team at Epping Forest District Council is a grass snake.

Animal Warden, Lyn Cook, received a call from concerned residents in Centre Drive, Epping, who had noticed the 2ft long snake caught in netting in a pond. On arrival Lyn managed to partially free the snake and then took him to a local veterinary centre where the rest of the netting was removed and he was thoroughly checked over. Luckily although the snake was badly bruised he had avoided more serious injuries.

Lyn said: "A couple of the residents were very alarmed fearing that the snake could be poisonous. However, the majority of the snakes seen in the UK are usually grass snakes, such as this one, which are completely harmless. They can be recognised by their usually greenish brown colour, vertical black bars on their body and yellow band around the head. Adders, which are the only indigenous poisonous snake, are often grey or brown, although the females vary in colour between black and sandy brown, all with a fairly distinctive zig-zag pattern along their backs."

In all cases Lyn would advise leaving well alone. "Snakes are very passive creatures, even adders, unless provoked. So our advice if you come across a snake is to leave it alone and then in turn it will leave you alone. Additionally, all snakes are protected species in this country and as such should never be harmed and can only be removed from their environment in order to receive veterinary treatment."

Anyone who finds a sick or injured wild animal can contact the Council’s Animal Welfare on 01992 564077.