'Clandestine' snake found in the overhead bin of a Lampedusa-Palermo flight

Moments of tension and unusual commotion were recorded yesterday at Palermo's "Falcone e Borsellino" airport. On board a flight arriving from Lampedusa, during the final stages of the journey, a small snake hidden in the aircraft's overhead compartment was reported and subsequently found.

The captain immediately alerted the authorities. Upon landing, Carabinieri from the Palermo Airport Station intervened along with Carabinieri forestali from the Punta Raisi CITES Detachment, who recovered the animal and secured it.

The reptile, identified as a false smooth snake (Macroprotodon cf. cucullatus), a species characteristic of Lampedusa, was entrusted to a herpetologist from the University of Palermo. After the necessary veterinary assessments, it will be reintroduced into its natural habitat on the island.

The hooded snake (Macroprotodon cucullatus) is a small, non-venomous snake endemic to the island of Lampedusa and other areas of the western Mediterranean. Its presence on Lampedusa is natural and it is part of the local protected wildlife. The discovery on an airplane suggests an attempt at the illegal capture and transport of the specimen.

The unauthorized transport of wild animal species, especially if endemic or protected, constitutes a crime and is regulated by the Washington Convention (CITES), which aims to prevent international trade that threatens species' survival. The Carabinieri Forestali of CITES are specifically specialized in this type of investigation.

The ongoing investigations aim to reconstruct the methods of capture and identify the responsible party. This incident highlights the unfortunately not uncommon phenomenon of illegal animal trafficking, which can have serious consequences for species conservation and ecological balances.