{"id":40416,"date":"2024-07-23T08:51:36","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T06:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bb756061-03c7-4815-9ea1-729260c96a3f"},"modified":"2024-07-23T10:27:29","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T08:27:29","slug":"i-was-in-sheer-panic-shocked-dog-walker-spots-six-foot-boa-imperator-snake-in-english-park","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/i-was-in-sheer-panic-shocked-dog-walker-spots-six-foot-boa-imperator-snake-in-english-park\/","title":{"rendered":"“I was in sheer panic!” Shocked dog walker spots six-foot boa imperator snake in English park"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sean Dirrane and his dog encountered the boa at Colwick Country Park in Nottingham. <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 06:51 AM<\/p>

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Far from its natural environment in a Central American rainforest, a six-foot-long boa imperator startled a Nottinghamshire dog walker by sunning itself on a path in his local country park. <\/strong><\/p>

Sean Dirrane and his dog, Bow, were on an afternoon walk in Colwick Park, just outside Nottingham city centre, when they came across the reptile<\/a> lying across a gravel path.\u00a0<\/p>

At first, Dirrane thought the boa was the fallen branch of a tree and then, as its snake<\/a>-like shape became more obvious, a fake left by local youths as a prank. But as he got nearer he saw the distinctive markings that would have kept the animal camouflaged in its native habitat and detected movement that confirmed it was very real and alive.\u00a0<\/p>