This picture shows one of Europe’s largest snakes hiding in a car engine between the pipes after firefighters were called by a beach-goer.
The unusual intervention took place at Cisterna Beach in the north-western Croatian fishing port of Rovinj after eyewitnesses saw the snake slithering up the vehicle’s chassis.
They called the emergency services and a firefighters arrived on the scene to deal with the four-lined snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata), considered one of the largest of the European snakes.
Fire chief Evilijano Gaspic told local media: “People parked at Cisterna Beach noticed the snake going under the car’s engine and called us right away.”
Reports said that two firefighters removed the non-venomous snake, said to be 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) in length, and set if free in the wild.
The shared photos of the reptile on social media with the message: “Carefully, professionally and with a lot of patience, we removed the snake from under the car and released it in nature.”
The Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorises the four-lined snake as ‘Near Threatened’.
They can grow up to two metres (6.6 feet) in length, but the average is around 1.5 metres.
Netizen ‘Nina Velenik’ commented: “Bravo! I could never hold it in my hands, no way!”
‘Pi Zarez Cetrnaest’ joked: “That’s why I moved to Australia – so I wouldn’t have to live in fear of the dreaded four-lined snake anymore!”
‘Marija Pogorilic’ said: “Well done guys.”
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Story By: Angjela Trajkovska, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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