‘Surprise snake’: Pet jungle python on loose in Gympie

The search is on to re-find a massive snake, not native to the Queensland spot where it was photographed in a garage but mistakenly released before its species was revealed. PHOTOS.

Shaz Sheppard found this Jungle Python in her garage. Photo: Shaz Sheppard

Shaz Sheppard got quite the surprise when she came across a large python taking a nap on fishing tackle in her Gympie garage on Thursday.

However, unlike some who might have run a mile at the mere sight of the resting reptile, animal lover Shaz relocated it into some greenery on her property.

“We moved it by using our fishing landing net into the palm trees in our back yard,” she said.

The bright yellow markings stuck in her mind though, and after the release had been successfully executed, Shaz did some digging to try and work out what it was.

What she discovered has put her back on the hunt for the reptile.

Shaz Sheppard found this Jungle Python in her garage. Photo: Shaz Sheppard

“I was a little unsure about the python because I’ve never seen that colour python around before,” she said.

“I was right to wonder about it, as we discovered that it was in fact a jungle python and not native to this area.”

Jungle pythons are native to the tropical and subtropical forests around Atherton Tableland and the southeastern part of the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland.

Armed with this new information, Shaz then contacted the Gympie Snake Catcher who confirmed it was most likely the animal was someone’s escaped pet, and said they would be happy to rescue it if it was seen again.

Now Shaz is on a mission to find the python again and try to return it to its owner.

“I would wish the same for myself if I ever lost another pet,” she said.

“I now feel terrible we moved it and now lost it again.”

Shaz Sheppard found this Jungle Python in her garage. Photo: Shaz Sheppard

Her posts on a range of local community pages on Facebook have turned up a possible owner, alongside a range of other possible sightings of the snake.

“A lady has come forward and said she had two escapees about a week ago,” she said, “one that looked like the one we found and moved, and another being a smaller Burmese coloured snake.

“It would be good if the community can be aware that someone’s pets have escaped so they may be returned to the owner of and when found again.”

If you happen to spot the brightly coloured snake, it’s best to not try and handle it yourself as the species, while non-venomous, is known to bite.

Instead, please reach out to a professional snake catcher.