A worker at Bluebird Lumber & Hardware in Salelologa, Savai’i, spotted an unusual creature yesterday.

The unnamed man found what appeared to be an “Australian Tiger Snake” curled up in tree, some six meters off the ground.

Branch Manager, Dave Perriman said after confirming the discovery, one of the workers decided to climb a ladder placed beside the tree and cut the snake loose. 

“The tree branch broke off and was picked up and the snake was shaken off into a wheelie bin,” Mr. Perriman wrote in a note to the Weekend Observer.

According to the Branch Manager, the snake measured 2 metres with the “markings of an Australian Tiger Snake, which is a dangerous species.”

“In fact it can be deadly without the anti venom, which I would be pretty certain would not be kept here in Samoa.”

Alarmed by this, they contacted the government authorities. 

“We called the M.N.R.E and they told us they didn't know what to do with it, maybe just kill it and bury it,” he said. 

“I went around to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and they virtually said the same, the person in the front office rang their department of Livestock and they said they only handled cows and pigs and couldn't tell us what to do or who to contact.

“I would have thought one of the Departments would have been more concerned just how the snake actually got into the country, I was not even asked as to where the snake was found, if this is a female snake, has it had babies and how long has it been in the country. 

“The last thing we want is to introduce snakes into our environment, to feed on the small birds we have here.”

It was not possible to get a comment from both Ministries at press time last night.