RESIDENTS at a housing estate in Nanshan have been shocked to see many green bamboo snakes slithering in their estate, Shenzhen TV reported yesterday.

It remains unclear why a large number of the poisonous snakes have appeared in the ZTE Talent Apartments estate. Guo Qiang, an expert with the Wildlife Protection Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Urban Administration, said the snakes were probably brought to the estate, as their natural habitat is dense vegetation.

Although the snakes usually do not take the initiative to attack humans, they are highly poisonous and therefore pose a risk to residents, Guo told the broadcaster.

They will attack if people try to grab them or step on them inadvertently, Guo said, adding that people should immediately seek treatment at a hospital if they are bitten by the snake.

The housing estate is not the ideal environment for the snakes. It is very rare for a large number of snakes to appear in a housing estate with so many people living there, Guo said.

Green bamboo snakes are a protected animal and, according to law, people who catch at least 20 green bamboo snakes are liable for criminal prosecution, Guo warned. Those who release snakes in a housing estate could also face criminal punishment since it endangers public safety, the broadcaster cited Guo as saying.

The report did not say how many snakes had been found in the estate or whether anyone had been bitten.  (SD News)