A quick trip to Australia Zoo's Animal Hospital took a startling turn when wildlife conservationist and zoo personality Robert Irwin drove with a wild carpet python looped over his shoulders and around his neck.
Here's what to know
According to Yahoo News, Irwin came across a large carpet python under a carport at Australia Zoo.
After noticing what seemed to be damage near the tip of its tail, he opted to have it examined at Australia Zoo's Animal Hospital.
For the trip, he skipped a transport bag and let the python rest across his shoulders as he drove. In an Instagram video, he described the setup in his usual upbeat style.
"He's a constrictor," Irwin narrated. "So naturally, he's just going to constrict around my neck, and he should stay there while I'm driving."
He added that it was "a bit of a challenge driving a manual with one hand," while assuring viewers he was not on public roads and stayed within Australia Zoo.
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Afterward, a vet found no problem with the snake's tail, and the python was safely released.
"Driving with a snake wrapped around you is the most Australian thing I've ever seen," one commenter wrote.
More background
The episode began under a carport, one of the human-built spaces where wildlife encounters often play out. In this case, the snake wasn't considered especially dangerous.
According to Sydney Snakes, cited by Yahoo News, carpet pythons are nonvenomous and generally fairly docile around humans, though they can bite when threatened and leave minor puncture wounds.
They do, however, kill prey by constriction.
"You are just a mini version of your dad in all the best ways," one fan wrote, comparing his energy and sincere affection for wildlife to his father, the late conservationist Steve Irwin.
Where can I learn more?
Robert Irwin's Australia Zoo rescue is one of many dramatic encounters involving large snakes.
• In Indonesia, a wildlife influencer wrangled a python to keep it alive.
• In Australia, a red-bellied black snake was killed, leaving a catcher furious.
• In Pennsylvania, rescuers saved a boa constrictor after finding it crossing a busy street.
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