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AMERICANALMANAC (Alan Benson) - A boa constrictor named Princess lands a role at the Metropolitan Opera Thu Sep 10 18:27:02 2026

The Metropolitan Opera held auditions for a live snake to appear in its upcoming production of "Così fan tutte", and a yellow-peach boa constrictor named Princess got the part. The Met requires every performer who sets foot, or, in this case, belly, on its stage to audition. On Friday, August 28, the institution opened its […] The post A boa constrictor named Princess lands a role at the Metropolitan Opera appeared first on American Almanac .

The Metropolitan Opera held auditions for a live snake to appear in its upcoming production of "Così fan tutte", and a yellow-peach boa constrictor named Princess got the part. The Met requires every performer who sets foot, or, in this case, belly, on its stage to audition. On Friday, August 28, the institution opened its doors to a lineup of boa constrictors vying for a role in its adaptation of Mozart's 1790 opera, reimagined as a 1950s Coney Island carnival. The Associated Press reported that Princess, a large sun-glow boa constrictor, was selected on a trial basis, with a smaller brown boa named Nala tapped as understudy. The auditions were no formality. Zoe Ziegfeld, a carnival performer turned opera actor cast as the production's…Open

YOUTUBE (Fox News) - Flood waters BREAK DOWN doors of NJ home #shorts #us #news #foxnews #viral Wed Sep 2 16:32:08 2026

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Viral video captures flood waters breaking through a basement door of a house in New Jersey before college students found a snake inside. #fox #foxnews #media #breakingnews #us #usa #new #news #breaking #newjersey #flood #flooding #floodwaters #basement #snake #college #students #viral #viralvideo #caughtoncamera #extremeweather #naturaldisaster #storm #home #wildlife #weather Don’t just watch Fox News—be part of it. Become a Fox News Patriot today. https://youtube.com/foxnews/join

AMERICANALMANAC (Alan Benson) - Animal Planet personality Ed Cassano, 81, killed in Arizona hit-and-run after stopping to observe a snake Wed Aug 19 18:22:48 2026

An 81-year-old Florida man known for his appearance on Animal Planet's "Fatal Attractions" was struck and killed on a rural Arizona highway after pulling over to look at a snake, and the driver who allegedly fled the scene now faces criminal charges. Ed Cassano, a father of two and lifelong wildlife enthusiast, was found dead […] The post Animal Planet personality Ed Cassano, 81, killed in Arizona hit-and-run after stopping to observe a snake appeared first on American Almanac .

An 81-year-old Florida man known for his appearance on Animal Planet's "Fatal Attractions" was struck and killed on a rural Arizona highway after pulling over to look at a snake, and the driver who allegedly fled the scene now faces criminal charges. Ed Cassano, a father of two and lifelong wildlife enthusiast, was found dead lying in the road on August 7 after a vehicle allegedly driven by 57-year-old Ricky Finch struck him on a highway in rural Arizona, the New York Post reported . Finch allegedly fled the scene in a white Ford Fusion. Cassano had stepped out of his vehicle to examine a snake on the roadside, a routine act for a man who had spent decades working with some of the most dangerous reptiles on earth. Finch later called police…Open

AMERICANALMANAC (Jack Newsome) - Escaped python knocks over heat lamp, sparks fire at Virginia middle school Wed Aug 19 17:51:16 2026

An 8-foot python escaped its enclosure inside a Virginia middle school, knocked over a heat lamp, and started a fire that damaged eight classrooms, just days before students were set to return for the new school year. Firefighters from the Forest Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Forest Middle School in Forest, Virginia, […] The post Escaped python knocks over heat lamp, sparks fire at Virginia middle school appeared first on American Almanac .

An 8-foot python escaped its enclosure inside a Virginia middle school, knocked over a heat lamp, and started a fire that damaged eight classrooms, just days before students were set to return for the new school year. Firefighters from the Forest Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Forest Middle School in Forest, Virginia, at 12:31 a.m. Thursday and found the building's sprinkler system already activated. When crews entered the affected classroom, they got an unexpected welcome: an 8-foot python, loose and waiting for them. The Bedford County Fire Marshal's Office investigated and determined the snake had escaped its enclosure, knocked over a heat lamp, and ignited the blaze. The sprinkler system put out the fire before crews…Open

AMERICANALMANAC (Jack Newsome) - Arkansas football player wore a helmet with a venomous snake inside it for an hour before coaches found it Tue Aug 11 20:39:36 2026

A high school football player in Maumelle, Arkansas, practiced for roughly an hour with a two-foot-long cottonmouth, one of the state's most dangerous snakes, coiled inside his helmet before anyone realized what was sharing the headgear. The player, whose name has not been released, was going through drills with his position group when he felt […] The post Arkansas football player wore a helmet with a venomous snake inside it for an hour before coaches found it appeared first on American Almanac .

A high school football player in Maumelle, Arkansas, practiced for roughly an hour with a two-foot-long cottonmouth, one of the state's most dangerous snakes, coiled inside his helmet before anyone realized what was sharing the headgear. The player, whose name has not been released, was going through drills with his position group when he felt something shift inside the helmet. He pulled it off and handed it to a defensive coach. What they found wedged beneath the padding was not a loose strap or a broken clip. It was a live, venomous snake. Athletic Director Kirk Horton called Animal Services immediately. Officers arrived expecting a copperhead, based on the initial report. They found something worse: a cottonmouth, ranked by Animal…Open