snake pearson airport

Video shows an actual snake on the loose at Toronto Pearson Airport

It was just another (ab)normal day at Toronto-Pearson International Airport this week when an actual snake was filmed on the loose at the travel hub's baggage claim area.

A video captured on Monday and shared to TikTok shows what could have easily passed as a sequel to the confusing 2006 cult hit Snakes on a Plane, provided Samuel L. Jackson was nearby to scream obscenities for lolz.

@inamarimaki

never a dull moment in this city

♬ sonido original - ♫ ♪ 𝒴𝒶𝓃𝒿𝓊𝓁𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓉 ♫ ♪

The clip shows a man approach the snake for a closer look, only to nope out of the situation once confirming it was the real thing. Eventually, a brave security guard stands in as a snake-catcher, using a combination of a towel and a plastic bag to immobilize the slithering animal.

Based on the markings (and I am by no means a snake expert, so take my analysis with a grain of salt), I'd say that this was a nonvenomous eastern garter snake, which is indeed native to this region.

A representative of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which operates Pearson, confirms that the snake video was filmed on Monday night around 9:15 p.m. in the Terminal 1 International Baggage Hall and that the animal was captured and removed by security.

TikTok user @inamarimaki tells blogTO that "We were first made aware there was a snake when people started screaming, then everyone distanced themselves from it, and a worker came about 4-5min later to try and capture it."

"He was trying to capture it for about 10min; from there, my bags had come, and I left. When I left, he was still holding onto it, waiting for someone else."

The clip is, somehow, not the most alarming snake-related video captured in Toronto this year. Back in May, a man was filmed attacking someone using a live snake as a weapon. The man was arrested, and, unfortunately, the innocent snake was killed in the unconventional melee.

Here's hoping that this is the last snake I have to write about this year/ever.

Lead photo by

inamarimaki/TikTok


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Travel

Canadians can now cash in on $12.5 million WestJet baggage fee settlement

Here's the problem with Canadian airline Flair's new on-time guarantee

Woman says she was harassed by WestJet crew on Canadian flight

Canada is ending its automatic 10-year multiple-entry visa policy

Canada warns to avoid travel to popular spots in Cuba

Here's what the expansion of Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport will look like

Toronto will soon have new weekly flights to beautiful global destinations

Boeing 737 with 179 passengers returns to Toronto after windshield shatters