Holiday-makers had more of a south coast experience than they had planned for when they were greeted by a red-bellied black snake in their bedroom earlier this week.
Snake encounters have been increasing in the Eurobodalla Shire on the NSW south coast, with snake catchers saying we are set for a particularly slithery summer.
Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) Narooma captain Malcolm Barry was called to the holiday accommodation at 10.30pm on Sunday, and found a 30cm baby red-bellied snake on the carpet near the master bed.
It was the latest in more than 40 snake relocations carried out by the VRA Narooma team since Mr Barry and two other members undertook snake-handler training late last year.
“We’ve had quite a number [of snakes] in homes,” Mr Barry said.
“Even all through winter we were getting the snakes.
“Pythons have been trying to find their way up internal stairs in homes. We had a red belly black snake wrapped around a nine-week old baby’s change table.”
Mr Barry has also helped a startled mother who discovered a diamond python in her child’s cot in September.
The VRA has also recently been called out to jobs involving a brown snake and, on October 3, their first tiger snake, at an oyster farm.
Immediately after talking to the ABC, Mr Barry was called off again for another snake rescue.
Wildlife Rescue South Coast snake catcher Marianne Hunter was surprised to hear how many snake call-outs the VRA has been answering.
She’s been catching snakes on the south coast for 18 years – including one curled up under a pillow on a bed.
Ms Hunter said with El Niño setting in and causing drier conditions, human interactions with snakes were likely to increase as snakes seek out food and water.
“They’re definitely on the move,” she said.
“The last few years we’ve had hardly any snake call-outs at all because it’s been wet. It’s been the perfect environment for the snakes to find frogs and lizards in the wetlands. There’s been a lot of food sources for them in their natural environment,” she said.
“When you are coming into a dry period like we are now, their food supply dries up.
“I’m expecting a busy season because it’s going to get drier and hotter, and therefore the snakes are going to head towards the houses … looking for the water supply and the food that goes with it. Snakes are just part of that cycle.”
She said this was especially true during the Black Summer bushfires when tiger snakes were found in the main street of Bermagui, trying to avoid the fires and searching for food.
Advice for snake encounters
“My advice to residents if you come across a snake is try to be calm because animals pick up on your energy,” Ms Hunter said.
“If you’ve discovered a snake and you’re frightened of it, just quietly back away and call us [Wildlife Rescue South Coast], or call a professional snake catcher.
“A lot of people think a good snake is a dead snake, and that’s just not right.
“We built our homes in their environment. They have a right to be here.
“They’re here and live here as we do. Respect them.”
