A 'mildly venomous' snake has gone missing from the Bronx Zoo

Susanna Heller
Updated
Mangrove snake
Mangrove snake

YapAhock/Shutterstock

  • A "mildly venomous" snake has escaped captivity at the Bronx Zoo.

  • Officials noticed that the 3-and-half-foot-long animal got loose on Tuesday, according to a statement provided to INSIDER.

  • According to the Bronx Zoo, there is "every reason to believe the snake is in JungleWorld."

  • The snake, a Mangrove, is known to be "timid" and "poses no threat to visitors," per the zoo.

  • Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

Earlier this week, a snake escaped from its enclosure at the Bronx Zoo. The "mildly venomous" Mangrove snake is believed to have escaped from its enclosure on Tuesday, officials told INSIDER in a statement.

The 3-and-half-foot-long animal has a temperament described as "shy, timid, secretive in nature, and active at night," the statement said.

"While we are confident the snake poses no threat to visitors, we placed a sign at the entrance of the exhibit out of an abundance of caution," the statement said. "Mangrove snakes, though mildly venomous, are not known to be dangerous to people. "

According to Gizmodo, the sign outside the empty enclosure reads as follows:

"Dear Visitors:

A 3½-foot-long mangrove snake is missing from its exhibit in JungleWorld.

They are mildly venomous, but not dangerous to people.

Mangrove snakes are a shy, arboreal species that are active at night. There is little chance of seeing or coming into contact with this snake due to its timid, secretive nature.

But if you see it, please notify a staff person."

When it's not on the loose in the Bronx, the animal is native to Southeast Asia, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo. The nocturnal species is known to spend time in trees and prey on animals like small mammals, snakes, lizards, and frogs, according to the Smithsonian Zoo.

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It is believed that the animal is still within the confines of Bronx Zoo, specifically in the JungleWorld enclosure. Do with that what you will.

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