A man showing off a massive snake to a crowd on the Coney Island boardwalk caught the attention of a New York environmental conservation police officer.
There was one problem: The snake was illegal to possess in New York.
The officer spotted the Burmese python near the Riegelmann Boardwalk on July 12, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
About a dozen people, including small children, had gathered around as the man handled the snake and showed it to the crowd.
And it wasn’t his only snake. He also had a ball python wrapped around his neck, according to the DEC.
Burmese python confiscated
An environmental conservation police officer questioned the man, who identified the larger snake as a Burmese python and acknowledged that he owned it.
Burmese pythons are classified as dangerous animals in New York and cannot be possessed without a DEC license. The state prohibits keeping them as pets.
The man was ticketed for illegal possession. The Burmese python was confiscated and taken to the Nassau County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Burmese pythons can grow more than 20 feet
Burmese pythons are native to Southeast Asia and can grow to more than 20 feet long, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The invasive snakes have become notorious in Florida, where established populations have contributed to significant declines in some native mammal populations.
The DEC warned that Burmese pythons can pose a danger to people and severely affect native wildlife if released into the environment.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Man showing off massive snake on New York boardwalk ticketed. Here’s why
Reporting by Ryan Miller, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ryan Miller, New York Connect Team | USA TODAY Network
