An islander faced an unexpected wildlife encounter when a routine drive up Mont Félard turned into something resembling a scene from the Australian outback.
James “Raj” Cattell was left stunned on Sunday after spotting what initially appeared to be a grass snake in the road – only to realise it was likely a far more exotic species.
Mr Cattell shared footage of the snake on Facebook, prompting concern that the reptile may have been an abandoned or escaped pet.
The JSPCA confirmed it was aware of the sighting and urged islanders to report any further appearances.
Animal shelter staff believe the snake is not native to Jersey and warned that the local environment could pose a serious risk to the animal’s welfare.
Speaking to Express, Mr Cattell said: “I was just driving, and I saw something. I’ve lived in Australia before, so I thought, ‘that can’t be what it looks like.’ But it was.
“It was crazy. I got the kids out of the car to have a look.
“I wanted to pick it up, but I didn’t. I kind of wish I did now, at least to keep it safe.”
It remains unclear how the reptile came to be in the area, though concerns have been raised that it may have been released or escaped from private ownership.