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A ball python slithered its way onto a Peterborough golf course on Thursday afternoon.

According to Bry Loyst, owner/CEO of the Indian River Reptile and Dinosaur Park, staff at the Kawartha Golf and Country Club contacted him around noon after discovering a snake near the course located in the west end of the city.

READ MORE: Indian River Reptile Zoo sends antivenin to help woman in Kitchener bitten by a venomous snake

Loyst arrived at the club and identified the 3.5-foot, non-venomous snake as a ball python, a snake native to Africa.

“It’s harmless to people,” he told Global News Peterborough. “It can grow to a maximum of five feet. It feeds on smaller animals.”

Loyst removed the snake from the area and the reptile is now in quarantine at his zoo on Highway 7, about 25 kilometres east of Peterborough.

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Bry Loyst of the Indian River Reptile and Dinosaur Park removes a snake from the Kawartha Golf and Country Club course on Thursday. Submitted photo

He says the ball python is a common pet.

“It was likely someone’s pet that escaped or someone released it,” said Loyst. “I would guess it was likely released because they no longer wanted it.’

He says if no one comes forward to claim the snake and if it passes quarantine, the snake will be added to the zoo, the only registered non-profit reptile zoo in Canada.

WATCH (July 31, 2019): Ball python tied up in case of mistaken identity after rescue in Toronto’s east end

2:03 Ball python tied up in case of mistaken identity after rescue in Toronto’s east end Ball python tied up in case of mistaken identity after rescue in Toronto’s east end