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06 Sept 2025

WATCH: New home for scorpion which travelled from Kenya to Ireland in woman's bag

The poisonous scorpion is now in the venomous unit of the National Reptile Zoo after being found in a house in Wicklow

WATCH: New home for scorpion which travelled from Kenya to Ireland in woman's bag

Photo: National Reptile Zoo

A poisonous scorpion managed to make it all the way from Kenya to Ireland in a woman's bag and is now living in Kilkenny!
The Fisher's Fat Tailed Scorpion is poisonous, but a sting from it is not usually fatal. 
The National Reptile Zoo in Kilkenny confirmed in a social media post that the scorpion had "hitchhiked its way back from Kenya to Ireland in a ladies bag!".
"We were contacted by Lorraine in Wicklow who told us the scorpion had been in her bedroom for 12 days after she returned from Kenya before she saw it!
"It’s now safe and sound (and very secure!) in our venomous unit," the social media post outlined. 
It is understood that the scorpion survived in the Wicklow house due to underfloor heating. 

Although a sting from the creature would not be fatal, its venom can cause breathing difficulties, severe pain and some localised swelling. 

It is not yet know if the scorpion is male or female, and the National Reptile Zoo is just letting it settle into its new surroundings at the moment. 

The National Reptile Zoo is based at Hebron Business Park in Kilkenny. 

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