A late-night dog walk in Honolulu turned into a scene most Hawaii residents never expect to face when a Honolulu couple discovered a roughly 3-foot ball python tucked beneath their front door, an alarming find in a state where snakes are illegal and not part of the native ecosystem.
According to KHON2, the unusual find quickly became a neighborhood spectacle and drew eight police officers.
What happened?
Just before bed, Honolulu resident Kai Engcabo said his dog kept sniffing near the entrance, prompting him to look under the front door. There, he found a ball python about 3 feet long.
"My dog came, and he noticed something, and he was smelling, and I looked underneath, and I thought there was something underneath. And when I noticed, I was like, oh my god, it's a snake!" Engcabo said.
Summer Engcabo said her immediate concern was that the snake could hurt the couple's dogs.
"The first thing I was worried about was my dogs getting bit," she said. "Oh my god, my dogs could have died."
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After Summer called 911, more and more officers arrived at the home.
"Four cops showed up, then five, six, seven, eight," she said. "So we had like a circus for an hour."
An officer ultimately picked up the snake and placed it in a container.
Why does it matter?
Although ball pythons are nonvenomous, their presence in Hawaiʻi is still concerning because snakes are illegal there and are not part of the native ecosystem.
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A python turning up at someone's front door is also a reminder of how vulnerable the islands are to invasive species.
As a BBC analysis explained, human activity often plays a major role in wildlife conflict, whether through trade, habitat disruption, or bringing animals into close contact with people. In this case, the python was likely someone's escaped or abandoned pet, since ball pythons aren't found in the wild in Hawaii.
Invasive predators can threaten native wildlife, disrupt ecosystems, and create fear for families simply trying to go about everyday life.
What's being done?
After it was removed, the snake was placed with the Hawaiian Humane Society, which also contacted the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.
Stopping illegal importation and discouraging pet releases can help prevent future incidents. In a place with such a delicate ecosystem, even a single escaped animal can turn into a much bigger problem.
Keeping a safe distance, bringing pets inside, and calling authorities can help if someone spots a snake or other unusual animal. Trying to handle it yourself can increase the risk of injury or allow the animal to escape.
"I'm deathly afraid of snakes. That's not something I want to find late at night," Summer Engcabo said.
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