Snake head trophy

A resident in the Napier street where a snake head was found in the gutter said it came from a trophy dumped at the weekend.

Biosecurity staff said yesterday there was no risk and no further action would be taken, but the head would not be returned.

A herpetologist had confirmed that the head - probably that of an Asian pit viper - had been preserved and mounted.

The resident, who called the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's pest hotline, said it had been her husband's and was mounted in a glass sphere that was discarded at the weekend.