% Not a 'snake in the grass', but a stowaway 'rat-snake in the Leaf' %
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/301764/snake-in-a-car-proves-non-venomous Snake in a car proves non-venomous [17 April 2016] [image http://www.radionz.co.nz/assets/news/65487/eight_col_Snake.jpg?1460929170 The snake found at the North Shore used car yard was a Japanese rat snake like this one. Photo: 123rf audio http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201797459/live-snake-arrives-in-auckland-in-a-nissan-leaf 3 min 40 sec An Auckland used car salesman got a nasty surprise when he discovered an unwelcome passenger in one of his yard's new imports http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/mnr/mnr-20160418-0846-live_snake_arrives_in_auckland_in_a_nissan_leaf-048.mp3 ] The snake found in a North Shore used car yard was a Japanese rat snake, the ministry manager in charge of its capture says. An Auckland used-car salesman got a nasty surprise yesterday when he discovered the unwelcome passenger in one of his yard's new imports. The snake was found hiding out in a black Nissan Leaf which had recently been imported from Japan. Ministry for Primary Industries manager of cargo operations Stuart Rawnsley visited the snake this morning after its capture yesterday. He said the snake had been identified as a Japanese rat snake. "Which is a non-venomous snake found throughout most of the warmer regions of Japan and often kept as pets over there as well." "Those kind of snakes would pose more of a threat to our local environment, to our bird population. This one in particular is an egg-eater, so it would certainly be a significant threat if it was able to establish here." -"It had found a space to hide underneath the bonnet"- Stuart Rawnsley on Morning Report 3 min 40 sec However, Japanese rat snakes tended to prefer warmer climates than in New Zealand and were unlikely to be in a position to get established here, he said. He said venomous snakes were occasionally found on the border, but had usually already died. He said the car had gone through a biosecurity check in Japan, but the electric car had many small compartments. The system was never going to be perfect, but there were several layers of security involved, he said. "It happens prior to the border, at the border and then after the border and everyone down to the [people] who actually sell the vehicles in New Zealand are involved in the biosecurity process so as long as we find the threats within those layers then we're happy," he said. The car yard's office manager Branka McPheat said the imported car had been in storage awaiting a compliance check. The snake would be euthanised sometime today, Mr Rawnsley said. [© 2016 Radio New Zealand] http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/301736/snake-found-inside-japanese-imported-car Snake found inside Japanese imported car 17 April 2016 Tom Furley [image http://www.radionz.co.nz/assets/news_crops/9670/eight_col_9736500_m.jpg?1460882684 (snake) Photo: 123rf ] A snake has been captured in Auckland after it hitched a ride from Japan in an imported car. The Ministry for Primary Industries was called to a used car dealership in North Shore this afternoon after a salesman saw the snake. The car yard's office manager Branka McPheat said one of their salesman had spotted the snake which was around three or four feet long. "It was just under the bonnet of the car." The car had been imported by another company and had been put in the storage part of the yard while it awaited compliance before being taken elsewhere. "We called (MPI) straight away as soon as we'd found out about the snake." The ministry's manager of cargo operations, Stuart Rawnsley, said it took staff several hours to catch the snake inside the car. "From the pictures I have seen and discussing with the guys it was quite a small snake, it literally could have hidden anywhere, but it was big enough that it was able to be recaptured with our handy snake capturing equipment once it decided to show itself." The car had been visually inspected before it left Japan. "It has already come through a [biosecurity] process. About 90 percent of used vehicles from Japan are pre-inspected in Japan by coming through approved systems of which we monitor and audit," Mr Rawnsley said. "We have a number of staff who are full time monitoring that process. Obviously this one has slipped through the system in Japan but the on-shore component of the system has worked as we've found it." It was uncommon for animals to get through the screening but no system was perfect, Mr Rawnsley said. It wasn't yet clear what sort of snake it was. The snake is to be euthanised. [© 2016 Radio New Zealand] ... http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/79019117/snake-found-in-imported-car-in-auckland-car-yard Snake found in imported car in Auckland car yard April 17 2016 ... http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snake%20in%20the%20grass First Known Use of snake in the grass 1696 http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/snake+in+the+grass For EVLN EV-newswire posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/Under-Leaf-EV-hood-ridesharing-rat-snake-jp-passed-NZ-biosecurity-tp4681629.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
