Overview
- A local man found and photographed a black-and-red/yellow patterned snake at the edge of the Westerwald near Linz and sent the image to the municipal administration.
- A fire department specialist and a snake expert examined the photo and police said the animal was identified as a coral snake, a highly venomous species.
- Police warned that coral snake venom contains neurotoxins that can disrupt nerve signals and potentially stop breathing, so any bite should be treated as a medical emergency.
- The snake has not been seen again and authorities told residents not to approach the animal, to call 110 or 112 if they spot it, and to report tips about a possible owner to the Linz police at 02644-94 30.
- Coral snakes are native to the Americas and are rare in Germany, which has left investigators probing how the reptile arrived and whether it escaped from a private owner.