Snake update - the search rattles on!

Sunday 08 July 2018

Teams are continuing to search an area of L'Ancresse common for a snake following a reported sighting almost two weeks ago.

On Wednesday 27 June Guernsey Police issued a statement following the possible sighting of a large snake, and asked people to avoid the area or attempting to locate it.

The sighting was reported as being credible enough to warrant further searches and this continued investigation.

Steve Byrne, GSPCA Manager said: "GSPCA team members, volunteers and staff have been up to the L'Ancresse area on a daily basis and we are looking at setting up some camera traps just in case, but at the moment no sightings since the one that we had reported nearly two weeks ago.

"The person that rung in with the sighting was fairly confident on the size and the description which has alerted ourselves and the Guernsey Police to search out for the animal and appeal to the public that if they see something to call in straight away.

"Until we see evidence to the contrary we will continue to look for the animal and carry on the search in that area."

Express reported on Wednesday 27 June that volunteers from the GSPCA were carrying out searches of the southern area of L’Ancresse Common after a dog walker reported seeing the tail-end of a fairly large snake enter the gorse.

Police officers liaised with John Knight, President of the GSPCA and a vet who also specialises in exotic animals, and States Vet David Chamberlain. However, the sighting is still unconfirmed.

The dog walker had reported the tail-end as being about a metre in length and several inches wide. If those measurements are accurate, Mr Knight advised police that it could potentially be a boa or python. 

Guernsey Police stated that advice received suggested it was highly unlikely that such a snake would pose a threat to either dogs or humans. However, officers  strongly urged people against visiting the area in an attempt to locate the snake. Anyone doing so could make circumstances harder for the trained teams trying to find it.

Superintendent Phil Breban said at the time: "We felt it important to inform the public about the searches and the nature of them, but we would ask people to refrain from any temptation to get involved in the search. Mr Knight is an expert in this field and his team of volunteers understand the best techniques for locating the snake and determining the accuracy of the report received."

Mr Knight said: "Should the size and description reported be accurate, and we have no reason to suspect they are not, although it is always understandably very difficult for people who see something unexpected like this, then we are potentially looking at a python or boa. The gorse on L’Ancresse would provide a very comfy living environment and hunting ground for such a snake, and as such it would be highly unlikely to pose a threat to either humans or dogs. However, until we find it we cannot be sure.

"Snakes are creatures of habit so we will use that to try and locate it. It is for that reason that it is so important that people do not go searching for it themselves. Increased activity in the area is likely to result in a change of habit and potentially behaviour or temperament. This would make it much more difficult to find. We will carry out searches at various times of the day during the next two weeks, when we believe it is most likely to emerge from the gorse. Should that prove unsuccessful, we will look at alternative options."