A court has been told a well-known Tasmanian reptile handler did not obtain a permit to keep a carpet python or blotched blue-tongued skink, despite the reptiles allegedly being found in his possession by wildlife officers. 

Bruce Charles Press, who shot to prominence when he discovered a snake with a rare genetic condition in 2015, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled animal that has been brought into the state, and possession of protected wildlife without a permit. 

The Hobart Magistrates Court heard wildlife officers executed a search warrant at a Swansea home on the east coast of Tasmania in May 2019, which resulted in the seizure of a carpet python and a dead blotched blue-tongued skink.

It's also alleged wildlife officers found a tiger snake in a plastic bag in the freezer, dry snake carcasses in a fireplace, frozen baby snakes in a bottle and a headless snake in the bedroom.

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) wildlife ranger Amy Lewis was one of several officers who executed the search warrant and told the court the defendant had told her the carpet python came from northern Tasmania. 

"He said it was previously owned by someone who had kept it as a pet but didn't give any more specific details than that," she said. 

The court was also shown body worn camera footage from wildlife officers during the search of the property where Ms Lewis can be heard telling a man: "I'm here to see what reptiles you have". 

A man then replies: "I haven't had any reptiles in a while because I don't have a permit … oh, that is apart from the deceased snakes."

The court heard the live snake was taken to the DPIPWE New Town research laboratories in southern Tasmania, while the other items were secured in a seizure store.