A 3-meter boa constrictor puts Sydney suburb residents on alert

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The constrictor boas, like the one in the image in this archive photo, can reach 3 meters in length. (OSCAR RIVERA / AFP / AFP / Getty Images)

(CNN) - Residents of a suburb of Sydney were warned to be attentive to a huge snake, after a “newly detached” reptile skin was found in the city.

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The snake is believed to be an adult boa constrictor, one of the largest snake species in the world, with an average length of 3 meters, according to a statement from the New South Wales (NSW) government.

So are the boas constrictor.

The snake is believed to be released in Silverdale, a small town west of Sydney, after its skin was seen on a property this Thursday.

Residents have been urged to report any sightings to the state forest department. The statement also advises residents to avoid making contact with the animal, but to take a picture if it is safe to do so.

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Authorities said that while constrictor boas are not poisonous, they can bite and strangle their prey, adding that they represent "a serious threat to wildlife and can be dangerous to humans."

The NSW government said it has organized a search party to locate and capture the animal.

Snake skin was initially discovered by a construction worker who was renovating a property in Silverdale, who reported the case to the authorities.

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Maintaining a boa constrictor is illegal outside zoos in New South Wales, according to the forestry department's website. The snake is native to Central and South America. It has an arrow-shaped head and distinctive patterns of circles and lines on its body, which allows it to evade detection in nature.

The forestry department said that once the snake was found, it would be sent to a veterinarian to determine where it came from.

"The snake will be examined to determine where it came from, how long it has been in the area, what it has been eating, if it has any worrisome disease and if it has produced offspring," he added.

Australia Snakes