A 4-metre-long python was discovered dead in a Berlin park this week, prompting animal welfare advocates in the German capital to call for stricter regulations on exotic animals.
The massive dead reptile was found in the busy Hasenheide park in central Berlin on Tuesday evening. Berlin authorities said they believe the snake is a tiger python.
Authorities have not disclosed whether anyone in the area had a licence to keep such a snake, or provided other details on where the dead python may have come from.
It was not immediately clear whether the snake died in the park, or whether someone dumped the body there.
Wildlife officials said that even a live python would have posed little threat to humans, given the cold weather conditions in Berlin in February.
The exotic snake would have likely stopped moving and reduced activity before dying, according to Derk Ehlert, a wildlife officer for Berlin's Department for the Environment.
Tiger pythons also tend to be rather reserved, people-shy animals.
Ehlert said he suspects that the animal was illegally kept and released or dumped by irresponsible owners, and did not escape on its own.
"We keep finding animals like this in Berlin - and not just snakes, but also larger lizards, monitor lizards and small crocodiles," Ehlert said on Wednesday.
"The animals naturally have no chance of survival in such cold weather," said Ehlert.
However, if venomous or constrictor snakes were released in summer, it would be "not entirely harmless" for humans, he said.
Local officials have asked the public for information about the origin of the python, but had not yet received any tips, a district spokeswoman told dpa.
Ehlert said he hoped that the extensively publicity around the dead python in local media might help hold the owner responsible.
Berlin's main animal welfare group called for stricter measures to crack down sales of exotic animals.
Responsibly caring for such animals is difficult and expensive and requires expertise, but people can currently "easily" obtain exotic animals through both legal dealers and illegal sales, the group said.
"The current case shows once again that the private keeping of snakes, lizards, tortoises and even monkeys is a serious problem," the association said on Wednesday.
The group's animal shelter in Berlin has taken in two snakes found in the past few days alone, including a king python which had been found by a local resident in a cellar in the district of Pankow.