Preparations for a Japan Air Commuter flight in southwestern Japan were halted on Oct. 19 when a small animal was noticed on board, forcing the plane's departure from Fukuoka Airport to be canceled.
By Oct. 20, a mechanic had identified the source of the disruption: a juvenile Japanese striped snake about 16 inches (40 centimeters) long hidden beneath the aircraft's carpet, according to The Straits Times.
Here's what to know
The aircraft had arrived from Izumo Airport in Shimane prefecture and was set to leave Fukuoka for Kagoshima at 12:50 p.m. local time.
Before the crew completed takeoff preparations, they spotted a small animal.
Japan Air Commuter canceled the flight as a precaution.
JAC said the animal was discovered at about 1 p.m. local time on Oct. 20, when a mechanic at Fukuoka Airport found it under the plane's carpet.
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An expert later identified it as a juvenile Japanese striped snake, a non-venomous species, and it was then captured.
Although the snake posed little direct risk to passengers and crew, precautions were necessary to be sure nothing unexpected would happen mid-flight.
The BBC reported that human-wildlife encounters are becoming increasingly common, with rising average temperatures, land development, habitat loss, and urban sprawl forcing people and animals into closer proximity.
The airline, part of the Japan Airlines group, said it doesn't know how the snake got into the aircraft and that it had never experienced a similar incident.
Where can I learn more?
This wasn't the first time a snake or other wild animal has disrupted travel.
• At Gatwick Airport, a venomous stowaway vanished after 345 passengers left an England-bound Dreamliner.
• On a TUI flight from Cancun to London, a stowaway snake was found after landing.
• In Nagano prefecture, officials expanded measures as wildlife encounters spread deeper into urban communities.
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