Snake on the loose at police car park

Two female police officers caught a snake after it escaped from its terrarium at the police station’s underground car park.

The corn snake, which comes from North America, was found by a hiker in Feldkirch, Vorarlberg, on the weekend. Policemen decided to put it in a terrarium before transporting it to a local reptiles zoo.

But when officers went to pick it up, the non-venomous snake was gone.

The two policewomen found the reptile also known as red rat snake hiding under a parked car. It was taken to the reptiles zoo in Scheidegg yesterday (Tues).

It was the third incident involving snakes within a few days.

An Aesculapian snake kept mechanics busy for hours after it hid in the engine of a car parked outside a furniture store in Spittal, Carinthia, on Saturday. Mechanics removed the vehicle’s sheathing so the non-venomous reptile could free itself.

A hiker needed intensive care treatment after he was bitten by a poisonous crossed viper during a trip to the Styrian Bürger Alp last week. Franz Seiberl, 45, from Lower Austria said he tried to scare away a few of the snakes when he spotted them winding towards him. He was helicoptered to a nearby clinic after passing out.