JEJU, Nov. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — A wild snake normally found in Africa has appeared on Jeju Island.
Jeju National University’s Jeju Wildlife Rescue Center found and rescued a python regius, also known as a ball python, thrown away inside a box near Jeju City’s Susan Reservoir.
The ball python normally lives in the African tropical forest, and is one of the most common species owned by reptile enthusiasts in South Korea.
The center said that the ball python is 70 centimeters in length and 10 centimeters in width, with black stripes across its brown body.
Ball pythons typically grow up to 1.5 meters in length.
They are classified as an endangered species, requiring owners to produce documentation proving they have adopted or sent away the snake in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
However, many cases are being reported of ball pythons being subject to illegal trade on online communities, undermining efforts to track the ball python population in the country.
Image Credit: Jeju Wildlife Rescue Center / photonews@koreabizwire.com
