The snake was taken to Dudley Zoo, and the zoo’s staff believed it to be a young ladder snake. However, when Bored Panda contacted herpetologist Dr. Steven J R Allain, he had a different opinion. Allain, who has an impressive academic background in zoology and is currently researching in related fields, said, “Having reviewed the [actual] photo of the snake in the broccoli, I am not sure the zoo identified the species correctly. To my expert eyes, the snake is in fact a viperine water snake (Natrix maura), which is a harmless fish-eating species found throughout southwestern Europe and northern Africa.”
Allain explained that as a large portion of the UK’s imported food comes from the Mediterranean region, it’s not surprising to find a snake from that area in the vegetables. He speculated that the snake was likely moving through the field when it got scooped up by agricultural equipment and then sought refuge within the broccoli.
The trip from Europe to the UK and then to Neville’s home took some time, but Allain noted that these snakes can go a couple of months without food, and the fridge’s cold temperature would have helped keep its metabolism low. He added, though, that it probably wasn’t a comfortable experience for the snake, given the climate change from warm Mediterranean to the chiller.