Conservation officers have seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack, B.C., the BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) said Wednesday.
The service said its officers executed a warrant earlier in the week with officers specially trained to handle exotic animals.
“The python is currently being cared for at an undisclosed location as the investigation continues,” said the BCCOS in a social media post. “Enforcement action is pending.”
According to the BCCOS, officers have seized a number of exotic animals over the past decade, including cheetahs, alligators and monkeys — all of which are classified as Controlled Alien Species in B.C.
Provincial laws prohibit anyone from possessing, shipping, transporting or breeding controlled alien species without special permits, the service said.
Anyone possessing one of the roughly 1,200 animals designated as controlled alien species can face penalties up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail, according to the BCCOS.
