{
  "id": 3721177,
  "title": "Non-venomous wild snake caught by Mandai staff outside reptile enclosure at S'pore Zoo",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/non-venomous-wild-snake-caught-by-mandai-staff-outside-reptile",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T11:08:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mothership",
    "slug": "mothership",
    "url": "https://mothership.sg/2026/08/wild-snake-singapore-zoo-staff-caught/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On August 23, a Mandai Wildlife Reserve staff member captured a non-venomous snake outside of its reptile enclosure at Singapore Zoo using a video that quickly went viral. The snake, identified as a painted bronzeback, is a species native to Singapore and not part of the zoo's animal population. The incident occurred when guests noticed the snake and alerted the staff, who responded promptly.\n\nTwo staff members were on hand to handle the situation, with one wearing protective gloves to grab part of the snake's body. The other stood nearby as the snake, which appeared to be small and moving quickly, was coaxed into captivity. As the staff secured the snake, several visitors watched from a distance.\n\nMandai Wildlife Group spokesperson stated that snakes are typically harmless if left undisturbed and will usually move away on their own. They highlighted that in this case, the small snake posed a danger due to its rapid movement in a crowded indoor environment. The snake was safely captured by the trained staff while maintaining a safe distance from visitors.\n\nFollowing the capture, the snake was released back into the wild. The spokesperson emphasized that all wildlife parks within the Mandai Wildlife Reserve are home to native wildlife living in the surrounding landscape. The reserve has protocols in place for wildlife sightings, and the spokesperson urged guests to simply \"let wildlife be\" and allow the animals to retreat on their own. However, if an animal is unable to escape or appears distressed or trapped, the staff are trained to intervene for the animal's safety.",
  "summary": "It was later released back into the wild.",
  "key_points": [
    "Mandai staff captured non-venomous painted bronzeback snake on August 23",
    "Snake was outside reptile enclosure, not part of zoo's animal population",
    "Staff safely released snake back into wild after capture"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}