Europe's largest snake species could be making itself at home in British houses, animal experts have warned.
The aesculapian snake, which can grow up to two metres in length, has been discovered in attics and wall cavities across parts of the UK.
A recent study by researchers from Bangor University has found that the non-native reptiles are actively seeking and returning to inhabited buildings.
The snakes, native to warmer areas of Europe, have already established populations near London Zoo and in North Wales.
Europe's largest snake species could be making itself at home in British houses
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Experts say the aesculapians' preference for human habitats is unusual compared to Britain's native snake species, which typically avoid urban areas.
The aesculapian snake populations in Britain have intriguing origins. In Wales, they are believed to have escaped from the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay during the 1970s.
While the London population, found near the Regent's Park and neighbouring London Zoo, is thought to have been released or escaped from a research group in the 1980s.
Professor Wolfgang Wuster from Bangor University, who oversaw the research, said it was unusual to find the aesculapians seeking shelter in British homes.
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The snakes have already established populations near London Zoo and in North Wale
LONDON ZOO
He said: "If you work in places like India, you quite often find snakes in houses. That's just not something that happens in the UK."
The study - though yet to be peer-reviewed - has revealed that male snakes showed a particular preference for buildings, with seven out of eight seeking indoor shelter.
Female aesculapian snakes, however, prefer woodland habitats - behaving more like the native UK snakes like adders, grass snakes and smooth snakes, which rarely venture into urban areas.
The study, which tracked 21 snakes using radio transmitters, revealed just how adaptable they were to British conditions.
Prof Wuster said: "We're finding them in people's lofts. You find snake skins hanging off the drainpipes in an old folks' home!"
London Zoo has urged the public to inform staff if they stumble across an aesculapian
PA
Despite their size, ophidiophobic Britons needn't worry - aesculapian snakes are not venomous or dangerous to humans. They primarily feed on rodents.
Researchers estimate there are around 80 snakes in the Welsh population, though they are challenging to locate, with each sighting only coming after about eight hours of searching.
London Zoo has issued guidance on aesculapian snake sightings. Its website says: "These snakes are not dangerous - they are non-venomous and excellent climbers. They feed on birds, small mammals and reptiles which they hunt and constrict."
The zoo urges visitors who spot a snake to avoid touching or picking it up.
Instead, it says, they should inform a staff member to record the sighting in their wildlife database.
And Prof Wuster has reassured the public further, detailing how it's unlikely to stumble across an aesculapian under the sofa - while the snakes have still made their way inside, they prefer to steer clear of inhabited spaces.
