Major development after boa constrictor on the loose in major city

There’s been a major update after an enormous boa constrictor was spotted slithering on the loose in Sydney’s south.

The uninvited reptile was spotted slithering under the Tom’s Ugly Bridge in Sylvania on Friday, with footage of the slithering snake uploaded to the suburb’s local Facebook page.

The snake, believed to be a red-bodied boa constrictor, is native to Central and South America and can reach an average length of 3m.

On Thursday evening, a NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) spokesperson confirmed the boa constrictor had been safely captured.

“An alert member of the press noticed the animal, believing it may be the recently reported boa constrictor sighted in the same area in recent days, and reported the sighting,” the spokesperson said.

The male boa constrictor, which weighed 2kg, was “safely captured” and taken to a veterinarian, the spokesperson confirmed.

While they’re not venomous, the reptile is considered a significant risk to the native wildlife and small children, domestic pets and other animals, as it wraps its body around its prey to suffocate it.

The reptiles can also carry viruses, including the Incusion Body Disease and Ophidian paramyxovirus, which can be fatal to native snakes due to a lack of exposure.

It is believed the boa constrictor is an escaped pet, though it is not yet known who owned the boa constrictor.

The DPIRD told NewsWire it had launched an investigation into the incident.

Owning and dealing with a boa constrictor in NSW is an offence under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Those caught violating the Act may incur a fine of $1,000.

“NSW DPIRD thanks the local community for their vigilance and encourages members of the public across NSW to report any unusual or exotic animal sightings,” the DPIRD spokesperson said.