Summer is well and truly here, and in Australia, that means there’s a greater chance of encountering wildlife as we go about our day. That was the case on Monday morning, when an Aldi shopper was shocked to make an unexpected discovery under the trolley bay as she tried to do her groceries.
The large python was coiled up at Meridan Plains Aldi on the Sunshine Coast, and snake catcher Dan Busstra was quickly on the scene after Aldi workers told him customers were a bit “freaked out”.
“One of the shoppers spotted it, freaked out, raised the alarm… I got a call from Aldi management,” Dan explained to Yahoo News.
The two-metre-long carpet python attracted quite a crowd as shoppers watched Dan relocate him, some with fascination, others eager for confirmation that the snake had been removed.
“He was taken to nearby bushland, where he won’t run into other shopping trolleys, and he can maybe continue his shopping spree, but in more of a natural environment,” Dan joked.
The carpet python was spotted under the trolley bay. Source: Facebook/Snake Catcher Dan
Why was the snake in Aldi?
Dan said the python was likely seeking shelter from storms that had battered the local area.
Wild weather swept through regions of Queensland and New South Wales this week, with emergency services working through last night to clear damage and restore essential services to more than 100,000 homes.
At least 15,000 homes and businesses remain without power in Queensland after two consecutive days of superstorms, which have been declared a catastrophic event.
Most power outages are expected to be reconnected today, but areas around Bribie Island and the Sunshine Coast are likely to remain without power into Friday.
“The storms rolling through have probably played their part. They’re active at night, so in the morning, they find somewhere to bunk down and set up camp for a bit of a snooze,” Dan said.
He explained that under trolleys is “not the most common” place to find a snake, but he does visit supermarkets around three to four times a year to rescue snakes.
“Snakes are shy, they do what they can to avoid us.”
Yahoo News has reached out to Aldi for comment.
with AAP
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