Snakes fail to give Customs the slip

A consignment of exotic spiders, amphibians and reptiles concealed in boxes and falsely labelled as plants have been intercepted at Dublin airport, it emerged yesterday.

A total of 78 exotic creatures, including Leopard geckos and Tarantula spiders, were found in a parcel which was sent from the US earlier this week. The consignment was destined for a pet shop in the west of Ireland.

The unusual discovery was made by Customs officials who said the package had been declared as "aquatic plants".

"The snakes and sliders [ freshwater tortoises] were sealed in small cloth bags and the rest of the animals were stowed in 10 plastic food containers, which were packed tightly into a cardboard box," a Customs statement said.

Two Emperor Scorpions, which are listed as an endangered species, and a Green Snake died in transit. The other animals were being cared for at Dublin Zoo.

Liam Kinsella, of the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said he had never heard of such a large consignment being intercepted. He was concerned that people might not have enough knowledge to care for such rare creatures. "To take care of these animals people would need to be very well informed on feeding, temperatures and how to house such animals," he said.

Mr Kinsella said exotic animals regularly escape when they are not properly housed. In the past year the society had been called to retrieve 18 escaped snakes.

"I would not advise an exotic pet as a Christmas present as the novelty wears off quite quickly. For instance, we were recently called to a house where an eight foot long Boa Constrictor and a rattlesnake had been abandoned by an old tenant," he said.

Customs officers in Limerick have searched two premises following the seizure and investigations are ongoing.