Authorities say a 14-foot-long python has been found dead on a Long Island roadside – possibly one other exotic pet kept illegally.
The reticulated python – a species referred to as the world’s longest snake – was discovered on Valentine’s Day on the side of a road in Medford, State Department of Environmental Protection said in a press release.
DEC officers responded and found the reptile curled up in a ball and pronounced it dead.
“There’s nothing to see here. Just a median, average 14-foot reticulated python on the roadside.” – State Department of Environmental Talk wrote on Facebookadding a photo of the reptile.
Officers removed the hose from the roadway for correct disposal, officials said.
Since Friday, officials have been trying to find the snake’s owner, who apparently kept it as a pet.
It was not immediately clear how the reptile died.
The constrictor species is native to southern Asia and feeds on all the pieces from birds to deer.
A similarly shocking local reptile discovery occurred on Feb. 19, when a lethargic, possibly cold-shaken, 4-foot alligator was pulled from Prospect Park Lake in Brooklyn.
The alligator was being nursed back to health on the Bronx Zoo, where tests showed it had swallowed a 4-inch bathtub plug.
Officials said the stray beast was likely an unwanted pet whose owner decided to release it into public waters.