Man seeks advice on social media after cornering deadly snake in his Terrey Hills garden
When one of Australia’s most venomous snakes was found in a northern beaches garden the householder turned to Facebook for help.
Manly
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A householder caused a flurry of concern when he turned to social media for advice about what to do after he caught one of Australia’s fastest striking venomous snakes in his northern beaches’ garden.
Subscribers to the Terrey Hills Community Facebook page quickly warned Dan Cook that he was in danger after he posted on Wednesday afternoon: “Any suggestions where I can take this guy? I’ve caught him, just don’t want him so close to the house of course”.
It turned out Mr Cook had cornered a 30cm death adder — the ninth most dangerous snake in Australia.
One resident immediately told him via Facebook: “Oh, highly venomous death adder.”
Another wrote: “This looks like a death adder … and strikes very fast … best to get a professional to pick him up.”
Mr Cook was also told: “You are very brave to catch it!!!!!!!”
But he posted back that he knew the snake was a death adder. Mr Cook even posted a close-up picture of the snake curled up on garden paving stones.
“Surprisingly very calm. I was well aware what it was so I wasn’t taking any chances,” he wrote.
Death adders hunt small mammals and birds, camouflaging itself within bush scrub and lying in wait for its prey to come to it. Its can strike in less than 0.15 of a second.
Sydney Wildlife snake rescuer and handler Lynleigh Greig was called in.
Ms Greig, of Elanora Heights, who volunteers for the Sydney Wildlife after hours rescue hotline, said Mr Cook has noticed the snake, now given the name ‘Cookie’, was not responsive to nearby activity.
“With the threat of people and dogs close-by, (the Cook family) decided to confine her for everyone’s safety,” she said.
“When I collected the adder, she seemed a little lethargic so she was brought into care for rehydration and to have her reflexes tested.
“Adders are generally more active at night and tend to stay hidden during the day when they are vulnerable to predators. They mostly hide under leaf litter and are very shy so the fact that she was out in the open during the day may have indicated a problem. We needed to check for injury or sickness before releasing her.”
Ms Greig advised people who encounter a snake not to try and catch or kill it.
“They are protected and it is illegal to kill one. It also increases your chances of being bitten as you are interacting with them.”
In March the Manly Daily reported the death of a dog bitten by an adder at Duffys Forest.
On February 18, Mollie Hine, 15, was watering the garden in the front yard of her home when her dogs — Banjo, a fox terrier cross and Jessie, a jack russell beagle cross — detected the snake, attacked it and killed it.
But both dogs were bitten. They were given antivenene at a vet surgery, but Banjo later died.
What should you do if you encounter a snake on your property:
1. Remove pets and people to allow the snake time to move through the property without interference
2. If the snake is not moving off, or it appears to be injured, ring for assistance:
Sydney Wildlife 9413 4300, WIRES 1300 094 737