Feral pet invasion across NSW: Authorities issue warning as more sightings expected over summer

FERAL snakes, turtles and birds are invading our suburbs and authorities are calling for help to stop them before they ­commit serious environmental damage. An American corn snake was found in a toilet in Cremorne.

A 1.5m-long feral American corn snake was pictured on the loose near Lithgow.

FERAL snakes, turtles and birds are invading our suburbs and authorities are calling for help to stop them before they ­commit serious environmental damage.

With warmer weather, these foreign invaders will be increasingly active and easier to spot.

Such is the biosecurity risk posed by the American corn snake to agriculture, the NSW Department of Primary Industries has urged the public to ­report any sightings.

Corn snakes believed to have been illegally kept and that have either escaped or been released are turning up in the suburbs.

The department was contacted last month after a tourist stumbled upon a corn snake in a toilet in Cremorne. Other corn snake sightings have been in Ashfield, Helensburgh, Kincumber, Bomaderry, Shellharbour, Glenbrook and Dapto.

American corn snake have been spotted around Sydney.

A 1.5m-long corn snake was also photographed near Lithgow and remains in the wild.

Department Vertebrate Pests Technical Specialist Nathan Cutter said corn snakes were banned in Australia as they can carry a bacterium that can kill grazing animals.

The snakes were also known carriers of the cryptosporidium parasite, which can infect humans.

Once sold in pet shops, the snake has since been prohibited under national biosecurity laws.

A boa constrictor.

Mr Cutter said the species is easily identified as they are bright red and orange in colour, although there were some albino varieties that had been kept.

“They are a small constrictor snake, and can get as long as 1.8m,” he said.

“They are quite evasive and secretive — a lot have likely escaped from their enclosures.

“We’ve had a couple turning up in interesting places such as on the front step of a house about a fortnight ago and in an outdoor loo in Sydney.”

Mr Cutter said the snake would be moving around a lot more as the weather warmed up, making them easier to spot.

Authorities also want to know of any other “at large” exotic animals that have been sighted in NSW this year, including a boa constrictor, ball python, palm squirrels, milk snakes, Asian black-spined toads, veiled chameleons, Asian house geckos, red-whiskered bulbuls, iguanas and cane toads.

The department is also particularly keen for the public to keep a watch out for red-eared slider turtles and Indian ring-necked parakeets.

Described as “the myna bird of the turtle community”, the red-eared slider has been found in Centennial Park and also in the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Darling Harbour.

The veiled chameleon.

The aggressive turtle, which features a distinctive red strip behind each ear, is regarded as a serious environmental threat as it out-competes native species for food with its “voracious” appetite.

A popular pet in the 1970s before it was banned, the turtle has been recently sighted in Picnic Point, Wiley Park, Chester Hill, Penrith and Fairfield.

The department is also keen to prevent the establishment of a population of Indian ring-necked parakeets, with the vividly coloured birds recently being sighted in Dundas, Chisholm and Quirindi since escaping from an illegal enclosure.

At the same time, the department is ramping up its seizures of illegally kept animals with officials last week taking possession of a metre-long juvenile boa constrictor from a property in Caringbah.

Other invasive non-native animals reported to the department this year include milk snakes, veiled chameleons, palm squirrels, Asian house geckos, Asian black-spined toads, red-whiskered bulbuls, iguanas, ball pythons and cane toads.

FERAL PESTS

The suburbs where these new emerging feral pest species have been sighted.

Red-eared slider turtle

Picnic Point

Wiley Park

Chester Hill

Penrith

Fairfield

The red-eared slider turtle.

American corn snake

Holgate

Rocky Point

Kincumber

Helensburgh

Warilla

Nowra

Cremorne

Bomaderry

Elderslie

Shellharbour

Peelwood

Glenbrook

Ashfield

Dapto

Indian ring-necked parakeet

Dundas

Chisholm

Quirindi

* If anyone sees any of these feral species, or is aware of any being illegally kept, a report can be made by emailing: [e-mail] or calling The NSW Invasive Plants and Animals Inquiry Line on 1800 680 244