MILTON ULLADULLA TIMES (Australia) 17 September 13 Tips for living with snakes
Snake season is approaching, and wildlife rescue service WIRES is reminding people they are most likely to be bitten if they try to attack a snake.
The number if snake sightings will rise with the temperature, and WIRES receives hundreds of calls each summer from people concerned because they see a snake on their property.
WIRES has trained reptile handlers - dedicated volunteers who are usually employed in full time jobs and rescue and care for reptiles in their own time.
Generally snakes are shy, reclusive animals and will avoid confrontation with humans at all costs, preferring to flee if given the opportunity.
While the service is unable to respond to all calls where the snake is not injured or posing an immediate risk to human safety, it does give advice to callers on steps they can take to safely and humanely encourage the snake to relocate elsewhere.
WIRES’ priority is to respond to situations where reptiles are injured.
Snakes have no vested interest in attacking humans, and any bite occurrences are almost exclusively a defensive response to a perceived threat.
Given this fact, it is reasonable to assume that, if left alone, the risk posed by any Australian snake would be negligible, and as such the service advises people concerned by a snake outside their home is to simply leave it alone and it will generally move on before long.
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