18 large Chinese snakes were found and caught in the railway bed in Hasselt, Flanders. One of the snakes measured 1.73 metres, making it a record catch since it is the largest reptile to have been caught since this snake's recovery in 2006.
The snakes are called Chinese Beauty snakes after their glossy scales and striking pattern and were rescued by the Institute for Nature and Forest Research (INBO) – tasked with catching the species over the last two years. At least a hundred of these snakes have been sighted near the tracks in Hasselt since their discovery in 2006 when a few of them escaped a pet trade.
The snakes are an invasive species to Belgium, as there are only 3 species of snakes native to the country. In 2021, 21 Chinese snakes had been caught. Since the first discovery, the organisation has caught 160 snakes.
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The institute says that the snakes are reproducing and that they are no longer aiming to catch the original escapee snakes as this species does not live that long – the average life span of a Chinese beauty snake is around 15 years.
The snakes are native to China and other eastern and southeastern regions of Asia. The species is a type of Asian rat snake and they are completely harmless to humans. Once in the hands of the institution, the snakes go to the rescue centre SOS Reptiel in Ichtegem in West Flanders.
