Harry wrote:

Martin wrote:

How do you know whether it's native or not unless a good identification
has been made? Equally whether or not it's poisonous? The poster said he

There _are_ only three native species of snakes in the UK -
http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/identification.htm#native (and of course none
in Ireland). It's not that hard to identify them (and which one is
poisonous).

lived s/w England and had an unidentified snake.

The RSPCA will come and shift it for you, or at the very least come and
identify it and tell you what the law is regarding it. Again, it could
well be illegal to move it out to the countryside.

They're all protected under the Wildlife & Countryside act.

Having the snake in his private pond constitutes trapping, holding and
being in possession of a "protected species"?

It could. Stranger things have happened.
--
derek