A Burmese python has gone viral on social media after it was spotted along a busy road in a Hong Kong shopping district on Sunday evening, with an expert saying heavy rain over recent weeks may have forced wild animals into urban areas.
The snake was caught on camera by a passing jogger near Causeway Bay’s Jardine Noonday Gun at around 11pm that day.
In the clip, the reptile, which appears to be about two to three metres long, can be seen slithering across a section of pavement along Victoria Park Road, near the historic site.
The social media post garnered nearly 5,300 likes and about 850 comments by 9pm on Monday.
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, a wildlife conservation centre, identified the snake as a Burmese python, noting its geometric patterns and its distinct shades of light and dark brown, black and white.
Victor Wong Long-yin, head of concern group Cheung Chau Animal Care’s education department, said the recent heavy rain could have flooded the snake’s natural habitat and forced it to seek another one.
