Dutch Town Warned to Steer Clear of Green Mamba

Residents of the Dutch city of Tilburg are being told to keep their eyes peeled for a long green snake—and stay far, far away should they see it. The AFP reports police were called on Monday night by a homeowner who said a highly venomous green mamba had escaped from its enclosure. The tropical snake favors warm and dark places, and the Netherlands are anything but warm right now; as such, the owner says it's possible the 6-foot-long snake remains in the home. Dutch News reports experts, assisted by a specially trained dog, have been looking for it.

A Dutch biologist warned the public that the snake only bites if it perceives a threat—but that it's also a nervous animal that "will strike at the least provocation," as Dutch News puts it. "Call 112 if it bites you, and do it quickly," he said. These are "really life-threatening snakes," he added, per the NL Times. The Pretoria Zoo explains the threat: "Green mambas have short, fixed fangs at the front of their mouths. ... Case reports of rapidly fatal outcomes, in as little as 30 minutes, have been recorded for this species." The Netherlands permits green mambas to be kept as pets. (More snakes stories.)