Why snake catchers in Australia are getting busier

Few creatures cause as much fear and fascination as snakes. Perhaps that is why snake "catchers" became a pressing need for the Australian community.

snake
With an intimidating appearance and a lethal poison, snakes are the living image of danger.

In Australia it is common to find exotic animals on the streets, such as kangaroos, koalas, wombats, numbats and Tasmanian demons, although marsupials are not the only inhabitants: snakes also appear - and very often. This country stands out for being "the home of snakes," since it is home to 140 terrestrial species and another 32 of the marines.

Australian wildlife is very much taken into account and among several species, snakes are protected by law since they play a fundamental role in the ecosystem by keeping pests at bay.

One of the biggest problems facing the population has the origin of the fact that the warming of the earth is reducing the period of fog, which would be the equivalent of a hibernation for reptiles. If we add to this situation the increase in population and the advance of cities over forests with the consequent deforestation, what will happen is that many snakes that once lived in lands of native shrubs will find refuge in homes intended for humans.

Are they really a danger?

In Australia alone there are more than 100 types of poisonous snakes, of which twelve have a deadly poison. Statistics show that many people involved in deadly bites in this country were attacked at home, and even while they were sleeping.

Without a doubt they are a danger and with just a few minutes of google, the innumerable appearances of this type of animal are evident. In August of last year, a five-meter-long snake was spotted climbing the roof of a house in the suburbs of Queensland.

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In another recent event, a man found a huge snake in his toilet. The event occurred in Hervey Bay, when a young man was on his way to the bathroom and when he lifted the lid he found a huge snake that was 1.2 meters long.

This same week, a man died when he tried to remove one of the most poisonous snakes in the country, when a specimen appeared in the kindergarten attended by his children. The fact moved the entire community since the most frequent recommendation is to call an expert to take care of the control of the situation.

Recently, a snake appeared in a cell in a state prison, another in a school and the events are systematically repeated in homes and shops.

The boom of snake "seekers"

Faced with this reality, capturing snakes is one of the professions of greatest development and growth in recent times. A business that is dedicated to the capture of these animals can receive dozens of calls in a single day.

In an article published in the New York Times, it is detailed in the case of Stuart McKenzie, who runs a snake capture service on the Costa del Sol, in the state of Queensland, which is home to the largest number of snake species in Australia.

His snake removal fees start at 154 Australian dollars (about 100 US dollars) and only uses a metal hook with which he gently pulls out the snakes, in addition to his knowledge, courage and dexterity.

With the mist, encounters between humans and snakes are becoming more and more frequent. The cold period (April to September) was reduced with the variations of the weather, therefore snakes remain active for longer in the year and during the nights that are usually also warmer.

The most dangerous

Few creatures cause as much fear and fascination as snakes. With their intimidating appearance and their lethal poison, these creatures are usually represented as symbols of danger. Among the various species of snakes that inhabit our planet, some stand out for being the most dangerous.

taipan
Taipans (oxyuranus) are a genus of large, fast and very poisonous snakes.

In the top three places of that classification are the native snakes of Australia:

  • Western Taipei: it is characterised by its large size, since it can measure up to 3 meters. It has a poison so powerful that it is capable of killing up to 100 people with a single drop, according to the National Library of Medicine of the United States (NLM).
  • Eastern brown snake: according to the Australian Museum, despite having some small fangs for a snake (only 3 cm. long), the animal compensates for it with power. Its poison contains powerful neurotoxins that affect neurons and cause blood clotting, in addition to other toxins that affect the heart and kidneys.
  • The death viper: it is easily recognisable by its triangular head, short, robust body, thin tail and large fangs. Before the introduction of the specific anti-ophidic drug for the death snake, about 60% of human bites were fatal.

    The list also includes the rattlesnake and the cobra that are found on the American continent and the russel, which is the deadliest in India.