Zoo visitors startled by free snake

A couple of visitors at Zurich Zoo had a shock at the vivarium as they came across a snake that seemed to be slithering free.

One of them said that she was so surprised she let out a scream - thinking it may be a deadly tropical specimen that had escaped. 

They warned the staff. The zoo stresses that was the right decision, but also says it was a harmless native grass snake that just happens to live within the zoo’s grounds. 

It’s thought there are around 50 of them on the premises which covers 27 hectares.

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