Snake that grows up to 2 metres in length 'living in UK attics and walls'
WeirdNews
Snake that grows up to 2 metres in length 'living in UK attics and walls'
(Web Desk) - One of Europe's biggest snakes - which can grow up to two metres in length - is setting up home in the attics and wall cavities of UK homes, according to a study.
Aesculapian snakes are non-native but after two potential "escapes" can be found in the capital - near London Zoo and Regent's Canal - and around Colwyn Bay in North Wales.
A study on the snakes found they were "actively seeking and returning to use inhabited buildings".
Researchers from Bangor University observed them "climbing large structures to access the attics and wall cavities of houses".
Male Aesculapian snakes had a "distinct preference" for buildings - with seven out of eight seeking indoor shelter - and are "unafraid of using buildings and other features in close proximity to humans".
Female snakes, however, preferred to stay in woodland.
The study implanted 21 Aesculapian snakes with radio transmitters over two seasons to see the extent of their habitat.
People with a snake phobia might be comforted by the knowledge other UK species, such as the adder, smooth snake and grass snake, usually steer clear of buildings and urban environments.
