DAILY LIBERAL (Dubbo, Australia) 25 October 07 No case of once bitten twice shy
Paul Kirk isn’t surprised by reports that snakes are on the move in Dubbo. Popping up everywhere from school playgrounds and sporting fields to suburban backyards.
The passionate herpetologist is bemused by the commonly-voiced myth that snakes are only found in the bush and knows from first-hand experience the slithering creatures can turn up in the most surprising locations.
Over the years he’s rescued snakes and lizards from all sorts of places including a hairdressing salon in Dubbo’s main street and the bedside cabinet of a South Dubbo home.
“There’s no one location worse than any others locally,’’ Mr Kirk said.
“Snakes are out and about at this time of the year looking for food and water. They don’t like disturbance or being near people.
“If a snake appears in the backyard it is most probably looking for moisture or rats or mice. Snakes don’t want to live under houses but they might try to find a nice spot in the garden. Most are more interested in a bit of wasteland somewhere but sadly habitats are disappearing as construction areas expand.’’
According to Mr Kirk, eastern brown and also red and blue bellied brown snakes are commonly found in the Dubbo district.
Browns are the second most venomous snakes in Australia while red bellies are cannibals who happily eat anything smaller than themselves - including other snakes.
People often get confused about the colour of snakes, Mr Kirk said.
Browns, for example, have orange or red bands during the first year of life and as adults can be almost black.
“Many people have snake phobias but only two Australians die annually as a result of snake bites,’’ Mr Kirk said.
“Those figures pale into insignificance when compared to the number of people killed in car accidents.
Why is it that people are anxious about snakes but aren’t phobic about cars or the people who drive them?’’
Mr Kirk has a collection of 40 snakes in his East Dubbo home. His love affair with reptiles and creepy crawlies began during childhood in England and has taken him across the world.
An eight-foot South-East Asian reticulated python even accompanied Mr Kirk and his wife, Diana, on their honeymoon in August 1969.
The couple run snake shows and will be exhibiting part of their collection during an in-store promotion at The Good Guys on Saturday.
No case of once bitten twice shy