lala
03-29-2010, 06:22 PM
I thought I'd put this on and see if anyone know what it might be . . . It look like a worm with eye's, we don't have snakes over here, so there is concern it is one . . . . :D
A wriggly worm-like creature found at Awakino is causing consternation for conservation officials.
The mystery animal was spotted squirming in the sand by New Plymouth man Andy Griffin while he was fishing near the river mouth last weekend.
Mr Griffin said when it was alive the creature definitely looked like a snake – although at first he had thought it was an eel.
"It tied itself up in knots. I thought it could have been a worm but it had eyes, and worms don't have eyes," Mr Griffin said.
"I tell you what, it isn't an eel because it hasn't got fins on its back. I know the difference between an eel and a snake and I don't think it's an eel."
In fact, the fisherman was so sure it was a snake, he flicked the creature into his bucket using a knife to take home for further inspection.
"I wasn't going to pick it up when it was alive," he said.
"Even though it would only have little teeth it could have got me between the fingers or something."
Once he arrived home, he froze the strange creature to preserve it.
Since then, photos of the queer beast were sent to Department of Conservation ranger Callum Lilley, who thought it could be a young eel, or elver.
"I'm quite sure this snake-like species is not actually a snake," he said.
"The colouring is much lighter than you may expect of an eel – although apparently there are instances of albino eels – but this could be the result of bleaching as it has been frozen."
Mr Lilley said although New Zealand doesn't have any native snakes, two different species had been recorded in the country, the yellow-belly and the banded.
Both of these are extremely poisonous, although they need a lot of provocation before they'll actually bite.
Fortunately, Mr Lilley said, Mr Griffin's creature resembles neither.
However, as he couldn't be sure exactly what the creature was, Mr Lilley sent the photos to a colleague down south to help him identify it.
The results should come back in a couple of days.
http://static.stuff.co.nz/1269865545/213/3525213.jpg
http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/3525214/Fisherman-is-sure-he-caught-a-snake
A wriggly worm-like creature found at Awakino is causing consternation for conservation officials.
The mystery animal was spotted squirming in the sand by New Plymouth man Andy Griffin while he was fishing near the river mouth last weekend.
Mr Griffin said when it was alive the creature definitely looked like a snake – although at first he had thought it was an eel.
"It tied itself up in knots. I thought it could have been a worm but it had eyes, and worms don't have eyes," Mr Griffin said.
"I tell you what, it isn't an eel because it hasn't got fins on its back. I know the difference between an eel and a snake and I don't think it's an eel."
In fact, the fisherman was so sure it was a snake, he flicked the creature into his bucket using a knife to take home for further inspection.
"I wasn't going to pick it up when it was alive," he said.
"Even though it would only have little teeth it could have got me between the fingers or something."
Once he arrived home, he froze the strange creature to preserve it.
Since then, photos of the queer beast were sent to Department of Conservation ranger Callum Lilley, who thought it could be a young eel, or elver.
"I'm quite sure this snake-like species is not actually a snake," he said.
"The colouring is much lighter than you may expect of an eel – although apparently there are instances of albino eels – but this could be the result of bleaching as it has been frozen."
Mr Lilley said although New Zealand doesn't have any native snakes, two different species had been recorded in the country, the yellow-belly and the banded.
Both of these are extremely poisonous, although they need a lot of provocation before they'll actually bite.
Fortunately, Mr Lilley said, Mr Griffin's creature resembles neither.
However, as he couldn't be sure exactly what the creature was, Mr Lilley sent the photos to a colleague down south to help him identify it.
The results should come back in a couple of days.
http://static.stuff.co.nz/1269865545/213/3525213.jpg
http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/3525214/Fisherman-is-sure-he-caught-a-snake