Mystery of exotic snakes dumped in Leeds beauty spot

Several exotic snakes have been found dumped, alive or dead, near a west Leeds beauty spot.
A huge snake spotted in FarnleyA huge snake spotted in Farnley
A huge snake spotted in Farnley

Around 10 of the reptiles are thought to have been released in the Post Hill area of woodland, and some have made their way to residential streets in nearby Farnley and Pudsey.

A dog walker took a photo of a snake around a metre long that was seen in a park in Farnley, while animal rescue volunteer Paula Ward Hobson confirmed that several snakes had been taken in by reptile keepers.

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A king snake is being looked after by a local reptile expert, and another, found on Hough Side Road, is being cared for by Vets4Pets in Pudsey. Others have been found dead, including some that had been run over by vehicles and one which appeared to have drowned in a pond.

Philip Grimshaw has seen several of the snakes near his home in Farnley, which is close to Post Hill.

"The first one was found alive by my neighbour, and the second was a 3ft one close to my house that we later identified as a carpet python. They're not venomous, and it was yellow and black. I spotted it in the undergrowth and I used a laundry basket to contain it before a lady who was walking past managed to put it into a pillowcase. The RSPCA then removed it."

Philip then saw the drowned snake and another on Pudsey Road which had been killed by a passing car.

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"Someone must have had enough of them - I live close to Post Hill, which is a wooded area, and we think they have been dumped there and slithered down to us. We sent a photo of the one I found alive to a reptile shop in Armley and they identified it as a carpet python. This was a couple of weeks ago and the sightings have quietened down a bit now."

The RSPCA have been contacted for comment about the incident.

Photo: Steph Barker

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