Yes, That's a Snake Eating a Pigeon on a Busy London Sidewalk

If you slept through history class, rest assured that this isn't one of the signs of the apocalypse. Though, it was probably part of an early draft of how to signal the apocalypse. 

A boa constrictor was spotted on a London sidewalk eating a pigeon Saturday morning. Thought to be an abandoned pet, according to the BBC, the snake was loose on High Road, Leytonstone. When Dave Fawbert photographed the boa, it was having lunch. Totally normal day. 

The RSPCA, a wildlife charity, was called and brought the snake to a wildlife center. A spokesperson told the BBC that "someone had found a dead pigeon and then [gave] it to the snake." The incident went viral after Fawbert shared the unsettling image. He got a good look at the loose snake and told the BBC that the snake was "100% eating the pigeon, it had its jaw open wrapped around it, and the head was half-way in already."

The odd incident was filmed by Rachel Garland, who told the BBC, "It was really cool, you never see anything like that."

Rebecca Bedson of the RSPCA retrieved the snake and was hoping to find out how the snake "came to be in such a dangerous situation." She said, "Anything might have happened to him. He could have been run over by a car or attacked by another animal."

If it was a loosed pet, it's not an isolated problem. Unfortunately, pets are too often released outdoors when owners decide they can't care for them and acquired the pet without a full picture of what care will entail. It can result in issues such as the invasive pythons and tegus changing the ecosystem in Florida.

h/t BBC / itv News

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