Ssssseen in the city: Red-bellied black snake spotted inches from ankles in Sydney CBD

A venomous snake made a ‘bizarre’ appearance at a busy transit hub in inner Sydney – but a wildlife expert says it isn’t unusual to spot a snake in the city. See the video.

Lunchtime crowds at The Rocks were unaware their ankles were just inches from the mouth of a venomous snake on Wednesday as it attempted to leave its hiding spot at the Sydney cruise terminal.

However one eagle-eyed pedestrian spotted the red-bellied black snake, which was seen flicking its tongue and darting its head in and out of a grate in a wall near Cruise Bar.

A woman spotted this red-bellied black snake at The Rocks near the cruise terminal. Picture:: TikTok/ella_sian66

The snake’s appearance in the Sydney CBD was “bizarre”, Australian Reptile Park operations manager Brandon Gifford said, but Wednesday’s hot and humid conditions were a “perfect storm” for snake activity – even in inner-city Sydney.

“Urban environments are great for red-bellied blacks, eastern browns and pythons because of the easy shelter and a lot of food,” Gifford said.

Red-bellied black snakes are venomous but shy around humans. Picture: Facebook

It was possible the snake had swapped habitats and in the process had become stuck “out in the open”.

While red-bellied blacks are “dangerously venomous”, Gifford said they are also “shy” and avoided humans where possible.

“It may be a male looking for a female to breed, or a female looking to give birth,” he said.

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Originally published as Ssssseen in the city: Red-bellied black snake spotted inches from ankles in Sydney CBD