Box office bite: Zootopia 2’s runaway success in China sends fans shopping for venomous snakes
The on-screen charm of Gary De'Snake, a vivid blue reptile featured in the hit Hollywood animation, has slithered beyond cinemas as fans seek out real-life counterparts to keep as pets, prompting warnings about safety and legality.
A cardboard cutout of Zootopia 2's Gary De’Snake (left) and an Indonesian pit viper, scientifically known as Trimeresurus Insularis. (Photos: Reuters/Go Nakamura, iStock/Agus Fitriyanto)
BEIJING: Zootopia 2 has sunk its fangs deep into China’s box office - and in a twist, prompted fans to seek out real blue snakes resembling one of the Hollywood animation’s breakout characters to keep as pets.
The trend has triggered safety warnings and raised questions over the legality of buying and shipping a venomous reptile, with many online listings reportedly scrubbed from e-commerce platforms.
Zootopia 2, Disney’s buddy comedy sequel centred on rabbit cop Judy Hopps and her fox partner Nick Wilde, is the highest-grossing animated foreign film in China. It has grossed 3.15 billion yuan (US$445 million) since its mainland premiere on Nov 26, according to online ticketing platform Maoyan.
The animation introduces Gary De’Snake, a vividly coloured blue pit viper. Gary has proven to be a hit in China, with a plush toy of the snake being one of the most in-demand merchandise items, according to Chinese news site Yicai Global.
This popularity has led to a surge in demand for the real snake species as pets, according to Chinese media reports.
Shanghai-based news portal The Paper on Monday (Dec 8) reported a surge in listings of blue Indonesian pit vipers on popular Chinese platforms such as Douyin, Xiaohongshu and Xianyu.
Searches were done using keywords such as “Blue Bamboo” and “Island Bamboo Pit Viper”, which are common Chinese names for the species. Prices reportedly ranged from 288 yuan to 3,000 yuan.
Sellers on Xianyu described the snakes as “the same kind of little blue snake as Gary from Zootopia 2”, according to a man surnamed Wang who spoke to The Paper.
One seller on Xiaohongshu said the condition of the snakes can vary.
The seller also cautioned that, as the snakes are venomous, first-time buyers should prepare snake hooks, bite-proof gloves and long tweezers when handling them.
SAFETY AND LEGAL CONCERNS
The Indonesian pit viper, scientifically known as Trimeresurus Insularis, can be found on various islands in Indonesia, including Bali and Lombok. While rarely fatal to humans, its venom can cause intense pain, swelling and local tissue damage.
While the snake is not native to China, it is not listed in China’s key protected wildlife catalogues or the invasive species management list, making online sales challenging to regulate, according to reports.
Douyin and Xiaohongshu told The Paper that they do not allow sales of wild or venomous animals on their platforms, and will ban accounts caught violating policies.
Meanwhile, Xianyu said it bans protected animals, but highlighted that the blue Indonesian pit viper is not on the list.
Checks by CNA on Thursday on Xianyu and Xiaohongshu did not turn up listings for blue Indonesian pit vipers, suggesting that earlier posts had been removed or restricted.
Wu Fenghu, a lawyer at Beijing Jingshi Law Firm’s Shanghai office, said that the sale of such venomous snakes on e-commerce platforms not only threatens public safety but also exposes gaps in oversight and regulation.
China’s postal regulations explicitly prohibit mailing live animals and toxic items, and it is illegal for courier companies to accept or mail such packages, Wu pointed out in remarks carried by The Paper.
State media have also weighed in on the matter.
In a commentary published on Wednesday, The Beijing News, a Communist Party-owned newspaper, criticised sellers for downplaying the risks of owning such snakes and offering little warning on their venomous nature.
Venomous snakes are not toys, and people should not let their love for a fictional character make them “indifferent” to real-world risks, the commentary cautioned, adding that most buyers lack the know-how to care for such snakes.
“If the snake attacks or escapes, it not only endangers the buyer and their family, but also escalates into a public safety incident.”
