Viper found in a box of bananas in the supermarket

Supermarket staff new Zealand When they opened a crate from Ecuador, the town found a dead snake in a box of bananas.

The staff at Langiola New World Supermarket in Langiola, Canterbury Region, New Zealand found the deceased snake In a box of bananas shipped from Ecuador on May 10, the discovery was notified to the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI).

A snake expert from MPI later officially confirmed that this 20.7 cm long reptile is a gorgeous young Leptodeira, also known as a gorgeous cat-eye snake. New Zealand Herald.

This snake is usually found in South America, not native to New Zealand. Although the posterior tooth snake is slightly toxic and may cause pain if it bites, it is generally not considered dangerous.

An MPI spokesperson told Newshub that officials take the threat of the country’s new animal species seriously and have developed a system that prevents animals from naturalizing in the country.

“The New Zealand Biosafety Agency takes the threat of snakes in New Zealand very seriously. That’s why we have a multi-layered biosecurity system that includes strict import requirements, border inspections and surveillance,” the spokesperson said. “This is why we train staff to handle testing safely and effectively.”

They confirmed that although the snake was shipped to New Zealand in a box, it could not survive the country’s winter temperatures, and if it survived the journey, it would not be naturalized.

About one or two snakes that are not naturalized in New Zealand enter the country every year, and an average of eight snakes are found at the border during security checks. Herald.

In April of this year, Newshub reported the statistics of MPI, which showed that 59 non-New Zealand snakes were found in the country in the past 10 years.

The media reported that 29 snakes were found at the border, 5 of which were still alive, while 30 were found in the country, but only 5 were still breathing when they were captured by officials.

The snake discovered on May 10 was not the first to be discovered in New Zealand this year, because a carpet python was found dead in a pipeline at a construction site in southern Auckland in March, and it was transported from imported goods to New Zealand. Australia.

Weekly newspaper MPI and Rangiora New World have been contacted for comment on this discovery.