Rare Garter Snake Stolen From Zoo in San Francisco
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SAN FRANCISCO — A rare, one-pound garter snake named Sarah was discovered to be missing from her San Francisco Zoo home Friday.
An animal keeper found that someone had pried loose two locks, torn off a plywood covering and shattered viewing glass that separated Sarah from zoo-goers. Sarah was gone from her usual perch under a heat lamp. No other animals were missing.
Sarah, 8, is an endangered San Francisco garter snake, a subspecies known for its extraordinary coloring, said Joe Fitting, a zoo herpetologist--reptile expert.
The pencil-thin snake has a turquoise belly and vivid red and black stripes.
“The snake is valuable to hobbyists who recognize its rarity,” said Fitting. “It is considered one of North America’s most beautiful snakes and is highly prized outside the U.S.”
Sarah is harmless, with a diet that includes fish, amphibians and rodents.
Zoo officials said they just want Sarah back, no questions asked.
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