DARLINGTON — Two boa constrictors were discovered at Blackwell Grange golf club in Darlington, United Kingdom, within a week of each other. Both snakes were found to be severely ill and subsequently died.

The first boa constrictor was located on June 13, 2024, during a children's golf lesson when a 12-year-old's golf shot landed on the snake. Golf instructor Aaron Cox used his golf club to move the snake away from the course and placed it in a box. One week later, on June 20, 2024, a second boa constrictor was found near the rough of the course. Cox again used his golf club to move the snake and secure it in a box.

Cox, 40, took both snakes to a local reptile shop. He stated that both snakes died as a result of being "riddled with disease." Cox, who moved to the UK from Australia eight years ago, noted the unusual nature of the discoveries. "I've been over here for what, six, seven summers, and not once has it ever happened. And now we've seen two in a week, and now there's three more just down in North Yorkshire," he said. "It's a shame and a bit of a cruel act by whoever did it," Cox said. "I just hope they think about it twice before they do it again, or people that have pet snakes, think twice about what they do with them if they can't look after them."

Boas are non-venomous snakes native to South America and can grow to lengths exceeding 3 meters. They typically target smaller prey and rarely attack people. These snakes can live for more than 30 years.