RIVERSIDE, Calif. (CNS) — A 15-foot-long /*Burmese python*/ was captured at the edge of Lake Evans in Riverside’s Fairmount Park Saturday.
The 60-pound snake was reported by a local when it crawled out of the water, said John Welsh of Animal Services.
“Originally, the call came in as a report that there’s a 20-foot snake coming out of the lake,” said Sgt. Cynthia Lee.
Animal Services investigators suspect the python was abandoned by its owner. Scott Reeves, an Animal Services employee and a reptile enthusiast, is caring for the snake for now, Welsh said.
Reeves will keep the snake for a short period in case the owner claims it. If nobody comes forward, officials will send it to a rescue organization specializing in exotic pets, according to Welsh.
This is the second time in a year Animal Services caught a Burmese python. In August, officers brought in an 11-foot-long, 50-pound snake in southwest Riverside County. The owner later picked up the snake, Welsh said.
Officials asked anybody with information about the snake to call Animal Services at (951) 358-7045.