It’s not the summer visitor one New England community likely had in mind.
A 12-foot snakeskin found along a Maine river last month belonged to an anaconda, police have revealed.
Tuesday’s creepy announcement came four weeks after the skin was recovered along the local Prescumpscot River. It was then sent to a biologist at the University of Texas who identified it after performing a test, authorities said.
The Westbrook Police Department said they’ve yet to determine whether the skin was placed along the river as a hoax or was actually shed by the elusive creature.
Though the snake’s identity is sure to be rattling ― anacondas are the largest snakes in the world ― police said that it likely doesn’t pose a threat to humans and won’t survive winter. That’s if one even exists.
“Our experts estimate the snake that the skin came from to be around 8-9 feet long,” police stated in a release. “An anaconda of that size is a juvenile snake and is not a threat to humans. It would, however, be a threat to small pets such as a cat or small dog.”
Since June, residents have been on high alert after police officers reported seeing a 10-foot snake feed upon a large mammal near a riverside playground. Before officers could get a good picture of it, the modern monster managed to flee into the Prescumpscot River.
Nervous talk of the reptile dubbed “Wessie” immediately flourished in the community and on social media where a parody Twitter account has documented its life as a fugitive.
Anacondas, which are native to South America, can grow up to more than 29 feet and weigh more than 550 pounds. The creatures are not venomous but instead kill their prey by squeezing them. After having a large meal, they can go for weeks or even months without eating again, according to National Geographic.
Police are asking the public to remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings.
“Don’t approach any snake or try to capture it. If you see a large snake, call 911 and direct officers to the area where you saw it,” they advised in a release posted to Facebook.
This isn’t the first time an anaconda has made headlines in the northeast.
In 2014, reports of an anaconda swimming in a New Jersey river sparked panic.
One reptile specialist who said he saw the snake firsthand told NJ.com that it was 15- to 16-feet in length. After fruitless searches and what animal officials said was zero evidence, local authorities eventually gave up on their search.
