Are you ready for a spooky travel story? Well, here it is! An Irish woman had the shock of her life when she found a scorpion in her luggage, a whole 12 days after returning from her horse-riding adventure in Kenya.
It turns out the scorpion, known as a fat-tailed scorpion, had hitchhiked its way from Africa to the woman’s home in Wicklow, on the east coast of Ireland. Talk about an unwanted souvenir!
The woman, Lorraine Dempsey, wasted no time and immediately contacted the National Reptile Zoo in Kilkenny, Ireland, to take custody of the adventurous arachnid. She even gave it a name: Kenny.
But the story doesn’t end there. Kenny managed to disappear after being discovered, causing panic among the household. However, after a frantic search, the scorpion was eventually found hiding under a bed. It was quickly placed in a box that Dempsey labeled, “Scorpion – Do not open!”
Dempsey took to Facebook to share her experience, writing, “I had a five-second encounter with Kenny this morning before he disappeared under the bed and my brain exploded trying to process what I had just discovered.”
According to James Hennessy, the director of the zoo, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Hitchhiking small animals finding their way into luggage is more common than we think. Apparently, the zoo deals with such cases every few weeks, with spiders and geckos being the usual suspects.
In terms of danger, Hennessy assured everyone that the scorpion’s sting was not medically significant. While it could cause some irritation and possible difficulties for individuals with breathing problems, it could have been much worse.
Interestingly, Dempsey initially believed that the scorpion was a deathstalker scorpion, one of the most dangerous breeds found in Kenya. Fortunately, it turned out to be a less harmful fat-tailed scorpion.
Dempsey expressed her fondness for Kenny, saying goodbye with a touch of sadness. She even expressed her hope that the zoo would keep the scorpion so she could visit him in the future.
Rest assured, the runaway fat-tailed scorpion is now safe and sound in the zoo’s venomous unit. So, if you’re planning a trip to Kenya or any other exotic place, make sure to give your luggage a thorough search before unpacking!
Image Source: F5 Magazine
Author: Patrick Smith, Editor and Reporter for NBC News Digital