Three ball pythons found in Queens park; one captured and named Kevin, others still at large

Three ball pythons were found slithering through Forest Park in Queens on Thursday, with one captured by bystanders and rescuers and named Kevin. The two others remained on the loose in the park as of Thursday afternoon, according to Puppy Kitty NYC, the volunteer group handling the response. The first sighting occurred a day earlier near Woodhaven Boulevard and Myrtle Avenue, when a roughly 4-foot-long constrictor crossed a busy street and prompted bystanders to intervene.

Meagan Licari, a rescuer with Puppy Kitty NYC, said one staff member saw the snake in the middle of the street and tried to shoo it back into the woods. 'One of my staff members sees this guy hitting a snake in the middle of a busy street,' Licari said. 'He was trying to shoo it back into the woods.' The captured snake, about 4 feet long, was illegal to own as a pet in New York City. Rescuers named the captured snake Kevin after one of the men who helped bag it, and they said they hope to place Kevin in a home outside the city where ball pythons can be kept legally.

Two more pythons remain at large in the park, authorities said, and they could pose a risk to small pets and to people who frequent the area. Licari urged residents to report any sightings to the group so they can be safely recovered and relocated if possible.

The two snakes are more likely to die when cold weather arrives than to attack a pet or person, Licari said, underscoring the need for residents to remain vigilant as temperatures fall. The incident also highlights ongoing concerns about exotic-pet dumping in urban areas, where owners may underestimate the animals’ size and care requirements over time.

Authorities said the pythons were likely dumped by an exotic-pet owner who did not anticipate their growth or the labor involved in caring for them. The episode underscores ongoing concerns about discarded pets in urban parks as winter approaches.

Separately, animal rescuers are also trying to recapture an escaped parakeet in Central Park that has been living with sparrows as temperatures drop in the city. The parallel case illustrates the broader challenge of lost or discarded pets in New York City's parks.

Residents who see any of the remaining snakes or have information are asked to contact Puppy Kitty NYC or local animal control.