Page
102 The Sunday Mail July 25, 1999
A
mix of knowledge, common sense and respect can save lives
THE very word is enough to make some people’s skin crawl, yet they are one of nature’s most misunderstood and fascinating creatures. The truth is that in most cases, snakes are not aggressive, preferring to get on with their own business without disturbance. At the first hint of human presence, they usually slip silently away. When planning a trip into the bush, prevention is much better than cure. Wear enclosed footwear, thick socks and long loose trousers, especially when venturing into virgin bushland. Always use a torch around camp at night, because most snakes are active on warm nights. Take care when climbing over rocks and logs as you may surprise a sheltering snake, and always carry a couple of rolls of wide bandage in your backpack.
0f the 135 species
of snake found in Australia, only 10 are considered deadly to humans, and only
a few of these threaten us with any regularity.
Although the inland
taipan has the most deadly venom, it is the common brown and coastal taipan
which are considered the most dangerous, because of the density of their
numbers in the eastern populated regions.
These two species
have adapted well to environments around human habitation.
Other venomous
snakes to be aware of are; the common tiger, the mulga (king brown), red‑bellied
black, death adder, copperhead. rough scale snake and blue‑bellied black
snake.
In the event of
snakebite these rules must be followed:
· Stay calm.
·Apply a broad pressure bandage over the bite site as quickly as
possible. Keep the bitten limb as still as possible. A cheap 75mrn bandage
available in supermarkets is perfect or the bandage can be torn strips of
clothing.
·The bandage should be as tight as you would apply to a sprained ankle.
Bandage from the bite and over the entire limb if possible.
· Apply a splint (a suitable piece of wood should be available in the
bush) to the limb and bind it firmly. In the case of an arm, use a sling.
While applying
these rules, reassure and calm the victim. Venom enters the lymphatic system
first before being released into the bloodstream. The application of a pressure
bandage effectively retards the movement of venom within the lymphatic system
for an extended time, enabling medical help to be reached. .
·Technical Information. verified by the Whyalla wildlife and Reptile
Sanctuary (South
Australia).
The best way of dealing with reptile or spider bites was to avoid them altogether, but if you do find a snake where it should not be, it’s best to call in someone who is licensed to remove the reptile and release it. “When bushwalking, keep your eyes open, when you’re working in the garden put on your shoes and gloves, use a rake before you go poking around in long grass.” “Keep the yard clear of piles of rubbish and stay alert, look around.” One could not hazard a guess at the number of native animals killed each year by snail baits and . rat baits. Possums in suburbia are frequently poisoned by these baits, which cause internal haemorrhaging so that there is little that can be done. Pouch young may survive without any apparent ill effects when a lactating mother is poisoned. Such babies will need to be checked by a vet. Prevention, as they say, is better than cure, so please make people aware of the danger and suggest that. Salt, sawdust, saucers of beer or blue‑tongue lizards are all much safer alternatives to snail bait.
Q. Do pythons and tree snakes cross with
taipans, brown and tiger snakes? Many people say they do and claim to have seen
it happen.
A. I also hear this story often, usually
accompanied by the dire warning that ‘The progeny are dangerous and experts
don’t know how to treat bites from the product of such crosses’. It is
nonsense.
Pythons belong to the
family of Boidae; Tree Snakes to the Family Colubridae; and Taipans , Browns
and Tiger Snakes to the Family Elapidae. There is no way these snakes from
different families could cross successfully. Too many isolating mechanisms ‑size,
combat and courtship behaviours; reproductive system anatomy; egg laying/live
bearing strategies prevent them from doing so! One good definition of a species
is ‘Groups of interbreeding populations which are reproductively isolated from
other such groups’. ‘Isolating mechanisms’ (ie special characteristics) prevent
successful interbreeding between species in nature. Occasionally, closely
related species isolated together in captivity can breed successfully (eg Common
Brown Snake, Pseudonaja textilis, might cross with a Western Brown Snake,
P.nuchalis; or a Coastal Taipan Oxyuranus scutellatus, might do so with a
Western Taipan, 0. microlepidotus). However the snakes about which you enquire
are not closely related.
- Jeanette Covacevich, Senior Curator, Reptiles, QM.
Of interest: Killing a snake could cost you a fine of
$2500.
We (Alida’s) have been informed that if you intend to get someone in to remove a snake, make sure they are a licensed snake catcher. If they’re not and they get bitten, you could be liable. Contact your nearest police station and they should be able to put you in touch with a licensed operator. One that we know of is:
Snake and Reptile Removalists
P. & P. GILLESPIE
80 Jacaranda Avenue
Woodridge Qld 4114
38084014 24 hours
0418708697