Snake season kicks off early thanks to warm weather
Wet weather and rising temperatures are driving an early start to the snake danger season with experts warning people to clean up the yard and take extreme caution.
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The recent rain and rising spring temperatures have combined to drive an early start to the snake season, and experts are warning people to use “extreme caution”.
The Australian Reptile Park says people should keep their lawns mowed and their gardens free of snake hiding places, with more snakes than usual moving through suburbs and bushland.
Australian Reptile Park’s Head of Reptiles Daniel Rumsey said it was “out of the ordinary” to see snakes and urged people to clean up and know basic first aid.
Mr Rumsey said tin sheets or similar household items piled up could draw in heat providing a perfect man made habitat for snakes.
“These areas provide a safe house for snakes as they sit in stealth mode awaiting prey to feed, and if startled they will defend through biting,” Mr Rumsey said.
“Depending on the species of venomous snake, a bite could destroy blood cells, cause blood clots, or excessive bleeding and destroy tissue.
“If not correctly treated with first aid immediately, a fatality can be as quick as 30 minutes, depending on the amount of venom injected by the snake, toxicity level of the venom and the type of snake.
“By applying the pressure-immobilisation bandage, venom cannot easily spread through the body, slowing down the envenomation process by giving more time for the bite victim to seek antivenene at hospital.”
BASIC FIRST AID FOR SNAKE BITES INCLUDES
■ Keep the bite victim calm and immobile
■ Apply a pressure-immobilisation bandage to the bite site on the entire limb, not just the bite area.
■ Call an ambulance or go directly to hospital.
Australia has some of the most venomous snakes in the world and records about 3000 snake bites a year.
Three hundred of the bites require antivenene, and on average, one or two bites prove fatal.
The Australian Reptile Park is the only zoo in Australia that milks venomous terrestrial snakes for their venom to help produce antivenene.
The Australian Reptile Park houses over 250 of the world’s most venomous snakes.
The Australian species are milked fortnightly by the venom keepers, as part of the Park’s venom program for the production of antivenene.
Some of Australia’s deadliest snakes milked as a part of the program including taipans, eastern brown snakes, king brown snakes, tiger snakes, death adders, and black snakes.