GALVESTON, Texas -- A story with more twists and turns than a snake on the loose has taken yet another twist. Turns out, the folks at Moody Gardens knew that a poisonous viper was missing from its cage earlier this month, but they didn't evacuate visitors from the popular Galveston tourist attraction.
And their story that the all along was not true.
The African Bush Viper turned up missing the morning of Monday, July 7.
Moody Gardens' Animal Husbandry Manager Greg Whittaker told 11 News Thursday that the viper got out of the snake exhibit and slithered up to the ceiling near a light fixture.
The snake was in the ceiling for 36 hours with visitors of all ages walking just a few feet away. The snake's bite can be dangerous and extremely painful.
Whittaker said they still have no idea how the snake got out.
There is no evidence the snake pried open the mesh to escape and no evidence it got through a door after a caretaker entered the area, according to Whittaker.
While the snake was missing, staff members even x-rayed other snakes to make sure they hadn't eaten the Bush Viper.
A day after the snake's disappearance, General Manager John Zendt told the media "Since there was not a breach of containment, there was no need to present false alarms to the public."
A couple of days after the snake was found, spokeswoman Jerri Hamachek even told reporters in the tree tops of its cage.
Moody Gardens staff members now say they didn't believe the missing snake was a big risk to the public because itis not aggressive.
It took employees awhile to find the snake because the creatures are experts at hiding.
"Camouflage is typical snake behavior," said Paula Kolvig, Assistant Curator of the Rainforest Pyramid. "Snakes camouflage in their exhibit just as they do in nature. This snake is green in color, approximately 10 - 12 inches long and one inch in diameter. It is quite easy and natural for it camouflage."
The African Bush Viper is back in its rainforest exhibit with two other Bush Vipers and three Gaboon Vipers.
Employees have installed additional locks on their cage.
