A resident of the Gold Coast in Australia has been fined by Australian wildlife authorities after he recorded himself taking his pet snake surfing. Higor Fiuza and his bredli carpet python, Shiva, gained local infamy when a video of them riding waves went viral. However, their newfound fame caught the attention of wildlife protection officers.
According to Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science, Mr. Fiuza endangered Shiva and violated his permit to keep the snake by exposing her to the public. Authorities initiated an investigation after Mr. Fiuza’s appearance in local media, leading to a fine of A$2,322 (£1,207; $1,495) being issued this week.
In a statement, wildlife officer Jonathan McDonald highlighted that taking native pets out in public can induce “unnecessary stress” and potentially cause them to exhibit unpredictable behavior. He emphasized that while snakes can swim, reptiles generally avoid water, and the python likely found the ocean’s temperature to be extremely cold. McDonald stated that sea snakes are the only snakes that should be in the water.
The incident also raised concerns about public safety and the potential for the python to transmit diseases to native wildlife.
Despite the fines, Mr. Fiuza has previously expressed that Shiva enjoys being in the water and has surfed with him on numerous occasions. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Fiuza stated that Shiva never hisses while in the water and is always calm, contrary to her behavior on land.
Rainbow Bay has seen other animals gain notoriety for their surfing abilities. A duck, aptly named Duck, has become a regular in the area and has even been seen stealing waves from Australian surfing champion Steph Gilmore.
