Snake hitches ride to airport on private jet
Biosecurity staff at Auckland Airport were greeted by an unexpected passenger hitching a ride on a private jet on the weekend.
A snake was spotted on the tarmac after the aircraft landed on Sunday and was initially contained with a bucket by airport staff.
The snake has yet to be identified, although it is likely to be a brown tree snake.
Snake on a plane! 🐍✈️😱
We've snared a live snake that hitchhiked to NZ on a private jet!https://t.co/dVoZf9WYiq #biosecurity @AKL_Airport pic.twitter.com/3EvTp4DDhT— Primary Industries (@MPI_NZ) March 27, 2017
Craig Hughes, from the Ministry for Primary Industries, said a snake handler was quickly on the scene.
"It appears the snake had crawled into the wheel housing of a private jet that arrived from Brisbane," Hughes said.
The snake is in a poor condition when it was captured and is likely to be euthanised after consultation with the Department of Conservation.
"We don't have a snake population in New Zealand. Biosecurity officials are doing their best to make sure it stays that way," Hughes said.
Have you ever had a close encounter with a snake?
First appeared on Stuff.co.nz. Image credit: Twitter / Primary Industries