Snake a slippery customer as it turns up in vehicle in Te Anau

The end is nigh for an unwanted immigrant from Australia - a snake which a man found in a vehicle he'd imported from across the Tasman.

Police say the man drove to the Te Anau police station this afternoon, reporting he had found the live snake in his utility. 

The snake had slithered out of the dashboard and dropped between his feet, Stuff reports.

The Ministry for Primary Industries said a snake expert had identified it from a photo as an Australian tree snake, which is not venomous.

The vehicle is to be quarantined and fumigated which will euthanise the snake, an MPI spokesperson said.

All snakes are banned in New Zealand, making them a rare sight on this side of the Tasman.