A nearly 5-foot snake was spotted in the water at a South Korean stream park where families had gathered to escape the extreme heat.
The surprise encounter frightened visitors, but officials later determined that the animal was a protected rat snake that is not venomous.
Here's what to know
In an update, the Andong Fire Station said the 1.5-meter (4.9-foot) snake was seen around 5 p.m. in the water at Silgae Stream waterway park by the Nakdong River in Andong. Families cooling off in the shallow stream were startled, and some reportedly ran away thinking it was venomous.
According to Korea JoongAng Daily, firefighters from the Andong Fire Station responded to the scene, captured the rat snake, and later released it in an isolated mountain area away from people.
With sky-high temperatures over 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the park was filled with families on summer vacation, including many children, who were cooling off by putting their feet in the water.
South Korea's Environment Ministry lists the rat snake as a Class II endangered wildlife species. It is nonvenomous, but its coloring and markings can look similar to those of pit vipers. This can make it hard for the general public to tell it apart from venomous snakes in the wild.
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More background
Silgae Stream waterway park is an urban summer retreat, with a roughly 400-meter (1,312-foot) waterway flowing down from Andong Dam. The waterway is about 5 to 10 meters (16 to 33 feet) wide and 8 to 16 inches deep, attracting many during hot summer days.
The nonvenomous snake typically reaches 4.9 to 6.6 feet (1.5 to 2 meters) in length and eats animals such as rodents and small birds.
What can be done?
Fire authorities advised people who encounter wild animals not to approach or try to capture them, but instead to move to a safe place and report the sighting.
Where can I learn more?
Snake sightings like this one have also caused alarm in other public spaces. These articles look at snakes turning up near playgrounds, neighborhoods, homes, and communities during periods of heat or seasonal change.
• In Singapore, a black spitting cobra near a playground alarmed families and prompted warnings.
• In Dhaka, rescuers said snakes frequently sneak into settlements as urbanization squeezes habitat.
• In Delhi, snakes invaded local communities during monsoon season, heightening fears among residents.
• In Florida, firefighters responded after alarming discoveries in homes revealed invasive Burmese pythons.
• Across India, rising temperatures worsened snakebite incidents, raising concern over climate-linked public danger.
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