Each species needs a space, food and specific care that is not always easy to guarantee.

Owning an animal is a decision that should not be taken lightly.

Terra Natura Benidorm and the nature protection service (SEPRONA) of the police of Alicante have joined forces to raise public awareness about the purchase of exotic and companion animals during the Christmas holidays. Experts from both organisations agree that having an animal at home entails a great responsibility, as they are living beings that need constant and permanent care.

The arrival of an animal into a home should not be an impulse purchase, as if it were a simple toy or Christmas present. Each animal needs adequate food and specific conditions, as well as veterinary care throughout its life. “On many occasions, people buy young animals, but when they grow up, they are no longer so manageable, and instead of donating them, they release them into the natural environment, causing an added environmental problem,” recalls Héctor Miguel Antequera, head of the Seprona Patrol of the Guardia Civil in Altea.

Terra Natura Benidorm has welcomed in its facilities several exotic animals during this year, which had been seized by the Seprona of Altea as forest cobras, royal cobra, bearded dragon, python snake, corn snake, tarantulas, scorpions, among other species. These animals had been confiscated from private individuals for not complying with the requirements for the possession of this type of animal, the handling of which is also extremely dangerous due to the poison that some of them have.

A few days ago, a citizen arrived at the gates of the Seprona barracks in Alicante with a cardboard box with holes in it, which he had found outside the container, just a few metres from the barracks. In view of the holes, suspecting that there might be an animal inside, he opened the box and discovered a large snake. The animal would probably have died if it wasn´t for this person.

The Seprona agents took charge of it. It was a ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris), one of the largest Iberian snakes in existence. Its body is thick and strong, and in adulthood it can reach two metres in length. Their triangular-shaped head has an elongated, pointed snout. Although they are not poisonous, the bite, with their sharp teeth, can cause considerable tearing wounds that require stitches, making them a potentially dangerous animal, as they attack when they feel threatened.

The animals seized in the actions of the Guardia Civil, are often deposited in parks such as Terra Natura, where professionals and facilities offer each species the coverage of their specific needs.

The facilities at Terra Natura Benidorm have the necessary conditions for the confiscated animals to enjoy an optimum degree of well-being. The team of professionals at this nature park and the Guardia Civil insist on remembering that exotic animals should not be kept in homes due to the difficulty of handling them and the special conditions they need to live properly.