Rockhampton snake catcher heartbroken after python allegedly killed

A Queensland snake catcher has been brought ‘close to tears’ after a python was allegedly purposely killed on a CBD street. There were reports two people had been seen ‘strangling’ the snake.

Rockhampton snake catcher Max Neason said it was "gut-wrenching" seeing the python had died.

A Rockhampton snake catcher has been left “close to tears” after a python was found dead after allegedly being strangled near the CBD.

Max Neason, of Max Neason’s Reptile Relocations, went to the coastal carpet python’s rescue on Saturday after seeing a post on Facebook describing it as in a bad way.

But he was too late.

“I raced down because it was only about 30 seconds down the road but she was already dead,” he said.

“When I picked her up she had no visible injuries and was bleeding from the nostrils and mouth, so there was no way she was hit by a car.

Rockhampton snake catcher Max Neason said it was "gut-wrenching" seeing the python had died.

“She was also out of the way so unless a car mounts the sidewalk you couldn’t really get to her, it was pretty confusing.”

He said the python also looked like it was developing eggs.

Mr Neason said on Sunday morning he received information that two people had allegedly been seen strangling the python.

He said the coastal carpet python and all snake species were protected in Queensland, making it illegal to “purposely kill” them.

In Queensland, attempting to catch or kill protected wildlife can carry a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment or a fine of $77,000.

“It was absolutely gut-wrenching, it brought me close to tears,” Mr Neason said.

“It was absolutely terrible to see, it was posing no harm to anybody and living its life, doing what they do.

Mr Neason said anyone who came across an injured snake should call a snake capture.

“I feel like as a community up here we are slowly moving towards a direction that has people more open to thinking about reptiles a bit more instead of just thinking ‘a good snake is a dead snake’, so it’s definitely bit of a step backwards.”

Mr Neason said this time of year was one of his busiest with snakes on the move for breeding season.

“We are starting to see a lot more of all snakes out and about, I’d say it’s probably the busiest part of the year for me,” he said.

“Coming right out of winter into spring where they’re looking to mate they’re definitely more active but they’re a lot more distracted.

“You can come across brown snakes, for example, that aren’t even fazed by people because they’ve got one thing on their mind and they’ll just cruise through a yard or accidentally cruise into a house looking for a mate and it’s not even because they mean to.”

Mr Neason said anyone that comes across an injured snake should call a snake catcher or wildlife rescue group.