Baby-and-python snap raises alarm

A Queensland zoo worker has stunned her family after posing her 12-week-old girl with a Burmese python for a photo opportunity. Jenny Cooper said her daughter Lily was well supervised and appeared completely at ease while with the reptile at Australia Zoo.

"They do regular snake photos there — the snakes are really gentle," she said. "I wasn't trying to get her eaten or anything!"



But snake expert Ian Jenkins, who has been handling snakes for 47 years, said the image made him feel uncomfortable. "A child of that size would be food," he said.

The baby’s grandfather John Baran said he was initially stunned to see the image of Lily with the python. "I could see this cute little baby … then someone said, 'that's a bloody snake, is this for real?''' he said. But he said he now loves the image and even uses it as his computer screensaver.