A man has been accused of animal cruelty after dozens of snakes, dead and alive, were allegedly found in his van during a traffic stop.
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Officers pulled over the 22-year-old man in Bundaberg, Queensland at 7.10pm on March 2 and asked to examine a container that was holding two pythons, police said.
"You put two snakes that don't know each other together? Have you fed them?" the officer asked during the search.
"No, that's pushing it," the suspect said.
'Various states of decomposition'
Further inspection of the van led the officers to discover that 26 snakes, mostly pythons, were allegedly in the car.
Police said 13 of the snakes were dead and "in various states of decomposition and containment throughout the vehicle".
The remaining 13 snakes were found alive and footage of the police search showed some of the reptiles were allowed to move freely around the van.
A living snakes was spotted among rubbish on the front passenger seat's floor.
Snakes are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
They were seized by detectives from the Bundaberg Criminal Investigation Branch and taken to an emergency animal hospital where vets examined and treated the surviving snakes.
"The surviving snakes were given to a local wildlife rescue organisation for continued care," police said.
The 22-year-old man, from the Queensland town of Moore Park Beach, has been issued with a notice to appear at Bundaberg Magistrates Court on April 22.
Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers call 1800 333 000.
Anna Houlahan
Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
