While the region is known for its animal attractions like Marwell Zoo and The New Forest Wildlife Park, here is the Echo’s round-up of strange animals seen in public - that caught residents completely off their guard.

Python near The Avenue

The python was seen near The Avenue (Image: Submitted)In the summer, University of Southampton student, Charley Peters, 19, spoke of his horror after spotting the snake slithering around Lovers Walk near his flat.

He said: “I jolted backwards; I have never seen anything like this before. I was really confused when I saw it.

"I called the RSPCA but they said they couldn't do anything as it could move by the time they arrive."

Speaking at the time, the RSPCA said that pet snake owners should be extra vigilant in the summer months, as at this time of year snakes look for ways to escape enclosures.

Big cat in Easton

The big cat was spotted near Easton (Image: Submitted)Charlotte Jackson Coleman, 45, was walking her dog in the small Hampshire village of Easton, near Winchester, when she clocked a rather large spotty cat.

She said: “The pattern and colour of the coat was not like one I had seen on a cat before.

“As we got closer, I realised how much bigger it was than other cats - and it had no collar.

“It didn’t seem frightened of us, and I got my phone out to take a video as I thought it was really unusual.”

Many people in the UK have claimed they have seen big cats on the prowl over the years, but their existence on our shores is often disputed.

Partridge in Bittern (but not a pear tree)

The partridge was spotted in a Bittern garden (Image: Submitted)In October, Liz Holmes, 50, had just returned from a trip to the shop when she walked into the kitchen and saw the unusual bird pecking at the ground in her back garden.

She said: “At first, I thought it was a pheasant, so I went on Google to see if I could work it out. I quickly realised that it was not a pheasant and so had a look through some photos of other birds.

“The encounter was more unusual as partridges usually stay in groups, and rarely leave them.”

Partridges are usually found in farmland areas, but the bird is being increasingly spotted in towns and cities due to the loss of agricultural land.

'Penguin-like bird' in Chessel Bay

It is unclear if the bird is a penguin or a guillemot (Image: Submitted)Southampton resident, Jacqui Flack, was walking along Chessel Bay when an unusual looking bird caught her eye.

Quickly grabbing her phone, she took some pictures from afar of what she thought might be a penguin.

According to experts at Marwell Zoo, who took a close look at the photo, it's unlikely.

The bird team at the zoo told the Echo the creature in question may be a guillemot.

The guillemot only comes to land to rest after spending most of its life at sea.

'Shark fin' in Hook

The 'shark' caused much speculation among Echo readers (Image: David Rogers)David Rogers was walking his dog Luna along the shoreline in Hook, when he spotted what looked like a 'large fin' poking out of the water.

His theory was that it could have been a basking shark - the second-largest species of fish in the world which can be found in UK waters.

But Dr Martina Stiasny, a lecturer in Ocean and Earth Science from the University of Southampton, believed the image was more likely to show the fin of a dolphin than a shark.

The pictures sparked much debate among Echo readers - from a sleeping seal to a fake shark fin attached to a post.

Muntjac doe in Bishop's Waltham

The doe has bee described as 'highly unusual' (Image: Submitted)Ross Bartlett was on the outskirts of Bishop’s Waltham when he saw the albino animal running nearby.

Speaking of the sighting on December 15, Ross said: “I spotted a white deer darting across the track five months ago and I thought I was seeing things.

“I haven’t seen anything like that before and I have lived in the area for about 25 years.

“I saw this white deer on Friday morning and as I had my phone in my hand I took some photos, and then it was gone.

“People have told me they’ve never seen one before.”

The British Deer Society confirmed that Ross did indeed spot a muntjac deer, in this case a doe.

A spokesperson for the Deer Society said: “Entirely white animals are highly unusual.”

Moon jellyfish invade boating lake

In May, hundreds of moon jellyfish were spotted in the Cockle Pond and boating lake in Walpole Park, Gosport.

Their arrival baffled officials, but thankfully they did not pose a risk to anyone as their sting cannot penetrate human skin.

According to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIWWT), the moon jelly is the most common jellyfish in UK seas, often washing up on our beaches.

They can be identified by their round, dome-shaped jelly, translucent with four purple circular markings around the centre.

The moon jelly is also seen floating just below the surface of the water. They typically live for around six months.

Portuguese Man o' War washes ashore at Milford-on-Sea

A jellyfish-like creature washed up in Milford-on-Sea earlier this month.

New Forest District Council has sounded an alert after the Portuguese Man o' War washed ashore.

The Portuguese Man o' War is a species of siphonophore, a group of creatures that are closely related to jellyfish.

Its sting is rarely fatal to humans but can cause welts on the skin.

Found mostly in tropical and subtropical seas, Men o' War are propelled by winds and ocean currents - and sometimes float in groups of 1,000 or more.

Experts say the creatures can sting weeks after being washed ashore.