Author: SÍLE Moloney
Police removed a Honduran milk snake from a shopping cart near 212th Street and White Plains Road in the Olinville section of the Bronx on Saturday afternoon, September 28, 2024.
Photo courtesy of Citizen App
Police removed a snake from a shopping bag in the Olinville section of the Bronx on Saturday afternoon, September 28, but there were no reports of injuries.
An NYPD spokesperson said police received a report of a Honduran milk snake near 212th Street and White Plains Road on Saturday around 2:09 p.m.
Police removed a Honduran milk snake from a shopping cart near 212th Street and White Plains Road in the Olinville section of the Bronx on Saturday afternoon, September 28, 2024.
Photo courtesy of Citizen App
Police said an officer found the snake inside a shopping cart and proceeded to remove it. When asked if they had any idea how the snake got there, police said they did not know.
They added that it has been transferred to the New York State Department of Environmental Protection. The Norwood News contacted the department for more information and was informed that DEC Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) dropped off the snake at a New York City animal shelter for examination by a herpetologist. The snake was found to be a nonvenomous milk snake native to New York. The snake’s condition is unknown.
The spot where the snake was found is about a five-minute walk from Gunhill House. As reported in May, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office is investigating reports of alleged pit bull fights at various locations throughout the Bronx, among them Gun Hill House. Various residents complained about mistreatment of animals (dogs and cats) in the context of the investigation.
Police removed a Honduran milk snake from a shopping cart near 212th Street and White Plains Road in the Olinville section of the Bronx on Saturday afternoon, September 28, 2024. Video provided by Citizens’ App.
Honduran milk snakes are known for imitating the markings and behavior of venomous coral snakes, according to an article posted on Seaworld.org based on information posted on kingsnake.com by various authors. “Through such mimicry, they trick potential predators into believing they are dealing with a dangerous animal, and as a result, they leave them alone,” the excerpt reads.
According to the article, milk snakes make quick, jerky movements that cause their bands to glow, scaring predators. These snakes are difficult to track because their bright colors signal danger and often confuse predators. They are known to eat other snakes and are one of the most widely distributed snakes in the Americas. Their name reportedly derives from the old belief of drinking milk from a cow’s udder. Perhaps this myth arose because they were often sighted in barns and stables where rodents were concentrated.
Police removed a Honduran milk snake from a shopping cart near 212th Street and White Plains Road in the Olinville section of the Bronx on Saturday afternoon, September 28, 2024. Video provided by Citizens’ App.
As reported, police removed a python from a Manhattan home in June. In May 2023, the Norwood News reported how a baby alligator rescued at the Bronx Zoo was left abandoned in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park after swallowing a bath stopper and later died.
“An autopsy revealed that she had chronic and severe weight loss, severe anemia, and intestinal and skin infections. She also had chronic stomach ulcers caused by the rubber stopper,” the statement said. Despite receiving intensive care, the crocodile was emaciated, emaciated and anemic, so its immune system was not as strong as it needed to be and it died from these infections.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging on to the Crimestoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or at X @NYPDTips.
All calls are strictly confidential.
