No Fer-de-Lance at Bocage Secondary, Forestry Confirms After Viral Hoax Sparks Alarm
Forestry officials have dismissed viral claims of a fer-de-lance sighting at Bocage Secondary School on Wednesday, confirming that the widely circulated footage was unrelated to the school and stemmed from an old incident. The claims triggered concern online after social media posts alleged that the dangerous snake had been spotted on the compound. However, speaking […] The post No Fer-de-Lance at Bocage Secondary, Forestry Confirms After Viral Hoax Sparks Alarm appeared first on Saint Lucia Daily Post.
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Forestry officials have dismissed viral claims of a fer-de-lance sighting at Bocage Secondary School on Wednesday, confirming that the widely circulated footage was unrelated to the school and stemmed from an old incident.
The claims triggered concern online after social media posts alleged that the dangerous snake had been spotted on the compound. However, speaking to Saint Lucia Daily Post, Forestry official Pius Haynes said investigations conducted by Forestry officers found no evidence to support the reports.
Haynes explained that officers responded to the school following the circulation of the video, only to determine that the footage actually showed a snake that had reportedly been killed in the Jackmel area some time ago and was falsely being shared as a recent incident at Bocage Secondary.
While dismissing the Bocage claims, Haynes confirmed that Forestry officials did respond to a legitimate snake sighting in Marchand involving a boa constrictor. He said the reptile entered a hole before officers were able to retrieve it, and by the time Forestry personnel arrived, residents had already begun burning boxes and lighting fires near the entrance.
Haynes noted that the heat and smoke may have killed the animal inside the hole, explaining that boas are cold-blooded creatures that typically emerge to absorb sunlight to regulate their metabolism. He added that no further sightings have been reported in the area since the incident occurred.
The Forestry official also expressed concern about what he described as sensationalized reporting surrounding recent snake incidents, particularly claims suggesting that the Marchand boa was venomous. Haynes stressed that boas are non-venomous and warned that inaccurate reporting and the circulation of unverified social media content can create unnecessary fear among the public.
Authorities are encouraging residents to avoid spreading unconfirmed information online and instead contact the relevant agencies when sightings occur so trained personnel can properly assess and respond to the situation.
The post No Fer-de-Lance at Bocage Secondary, Forestry Confirms After Viral Hoax Sparks Alarm appeared first on Saint Lucia Daily Post.
