PRINCETON — A monster 10-foot snake has been seen slithering around the pond here at Barbara Smoyer Park, and Recreation Director Jack Roberts has cordoned off the area and warned children and people with small pets to “stay on high alert.” Or risk being eaten.
“We haven’t seen it; it’s been our animal control officer who has seen it,” Roberts said. “And a couple people have reported it. We are hoping to get an expert in who can figure out how to trap it unharmed obviously and we would donate it to a zoo.”
He said neither he nor Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson know what kind of snake this is, or where it came from. It is described as green-brown and copper.
“Our assumption is that it’s boa-esque or python-esque, and that it’s very large,” Roberts said. “Probably it was a pet, that’s all we can think of. That somebody had it as a pet, and somebody just got tired of feeding it mice, or whatever you do with a pet that large. Or small children, or whatever. And let it go. That’s our only guess.”
Roberts said the creature “is not easily viewed” in the 100-yard-by-100-yard pond in the 38-acre park; it was last seen Tuesday morning.
He urged curiosity seekers to stay away, and warned parents to “please stay on high alert with your children and small pets, and avoid the high grass surrounding the pond.”
That goes for photographers as well.
“You’re welcome to do it,” Roberts said. “I would tell the person not to go too far past the ‘KEEP OUT’ sign. If it is a boa, I would assume that it is a formidible adversary. I think you would have to be a little careful.”
Barbara Smoyer Park features passive recreation (picnicking, walking, fishing) on 20 acres, and active recreation (soccer, baseball, ice-skating) on another 18 acres. It’s located at 500-542 Snowden Lane opposite the Weller Tract. Barbara Smoyer was a member of township committee from 1972-4 and a recreation advocate.