cover ground, their light bodies can whip around with
duty torch in my mouth to free my hands and work my
unencumbered speed that larger and heavier snakes cannot camera while keeping some steady light on the small
match. Recent research shows that the venom of younger elapid wriggling to freedom in the grass. I head back
snakes may be less dangerous to humans, as it is lacking home exhausted and get to sleep some time after 3:30 am.
in the adults’ procoagulant proteins that rapidly cause We’ll do another three jobs during the day, and take
Venom Induced Consumption Coagulopathy (VICC) in maybe a dozen more phone calls.
mammalian prey. Juveniles are, nonetheless, born ready to
envenomate with powerful neurotoxins. Eastern Brown While many TV shows present snakes in their most
Snake bites can cause fatalities in a number of ways, dangerous possible light, and catchers as intense, thrill-
including respiratory and cardiac distress, however VICC seeking adrenaline junkies, in truth the majority of our
is a more common and dangerous impact, whereby the calls are for non-venomous pythons and colubrids. These
procoagulant toxins use up all of the blood's clotting often end with a simple identification and a quick
factors, leading to impaired haemostasis. Internal bleed- discussion about snake safety. Some home owners are
ing, microangioma, and brain haemorrhage may then happy to have free rodent control roaming around their
ensue. Yet despite all their tenacity and toxic venom, properties, particularly since Queensland has the highest
these small snakes are very delicate, and fast but careful rate of leptospirosis in Australia. This bacterial disease,
handling is necessary for the welfare of both animal and caused by spirochaetes of the Leptospira genus and spread
handler. by rat urine, initially causes symptoms similar to
‘Relocation is hardly ideal for snakes, but the risk that a
constrictor
presents to
family pets
large
results in many
non-venomous animals getting relocated.’
After quickly securing and bagging the animal and a few influenza, but severe cases can result in kidney failure,
high fives, it's back to the car to examine the map for liver damage and meningitis. A snake in the backyard
possible release sites. A sandy creek seems suitable, being should be seen as a sign of both a healthy and vibrant
both nearby (less than two kilometres away) and local ecosystem, as well as your natural rodent and
surrounded by vegetation, so we're on the road again. It's disease control service at work – gratis!
2:45 am when we arrive at the dark, bushy creek line, in
the middle of the industrial estate. I pull over underneath a
halo of orange streetlight. To my left, a concrete footpath
is bordered by chain-link fence extending around the
various lots.
This is not to mention the educational and aesthetic value
of some of the strikingly-coloured snakes we're lucky to
share the region with. Unfortunately, most snakes have a
fantastic ability to locate crevices, holes and entry points,
Warehouses and shipping crates loom somewhat
ominously in the dark as I remove the snake container
from the boot of my SUV. I head down a dark pathway,
following the creek to an area where the vegetation is
thickest. Upon releasing the snake, I realise I’ve left my
damn head torch in the car, so I jam my normal, heavy-
and during the heat of summer will often find their way
into pools, garages, laundries (particularly with cool tile
or concrete floors) and anywhere they can thermoregulate
or find a drink. A nice, air-conditioned house with a veran-
dah door left ajar, or poorly-sealed screens, and so on,
provides a wonderfully cool escape for an overheated