Saturday 22 October 2011

Rat Snake


The Pie Tribe en masse enjoyed a grand day out in Colwyn Bay starting the day with a visit to the mighty family run Fortes Cafe in Rhos-on-Sea with the sun beating down between the showers. Excellent coffee and cake to get us going. A quick visit to the second hand bookshop across the road and then onto Welsh Mountain Zoo.

Not a huge collection but interesting nonetheless and amongst a great setting overlooking the Irish Sea.

I have always had a healthy interest in animals that can do me harm, particularly when travelling abroad. This obviously includes snakes, spiders ...etc.

Britain until our visit today, had I thought, really only two snakes the harmless grass snake and the
venomous adder. Well now you can the add the sometime 5 foot long Rat Snake to that number as the Colwyn Bay area has its own "gone native" population. Having escaped from the Zoo's collection ( some 30 years ago) they have adapted and thrived in the surrounding area no doubt to the detriment of the local vermin and pet owning population.

This was confirmed by a lady we bumped into whilst walking around the tropical house who had one of the actual gone native population wrapped around her! She happily informed us that she had just inserted a tagging device into the Guinea Pig eating varmit before releasing him back where she found him outside the Zoo.

Some light relief was provided by the falconry display later. Whilst watching from the balcony of a cafe overlooking the arena a long taloned individual got a bit distracted, missing his preferred landing spot and nearly took out the two Pie tribe youngest. Fortunately the plate glass window they were standing next to stopped him in his tracks !!! He was okay but I was laughing myself silly.

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