A Kulnura construction site got an unexpected lodger this week, and the Australian Reptile Park got a call.
Snake season is well and truly here, and the snakes have not wasted any time. A Kulnura couple got the fright of the week when they found a highly venomous death adder tucked inside a toolbox at a construction site on their property, approximately 30 minutes from the Australian Reptile Park.
The snake, a young male with striking red colouration, had almost certainly been moving through the construction site overnight before deciding the toolbox made a perfectly good shelter to wait out the day.
The property owners did the right thing: they stepped back and called the Park. Operations Manager Brandon Gifford drove out to the property and handled the rescue himself.
"It didn't surprise us one little bit that this fella was out, the weather has heated up and snake season has well and truly started. Death adders are one of Australia's deadliest snakes and extremely common in this area," said Brandon Gifford, Operations Manager.
Despite his reputation, this particular death adder turned out to be a fairly relaxed house guest.
"He must have been on the move last night before finding his way into there and he saw it as a safe little shelter to hang out," said Brandon. "Getting him out of the toolbox was actually very easy as far as snakes go, he's quite a calm little male and very docile, even though he's carrying one of the most dangerous venoms on earth."
Back at the Park, the reptile team put the young male through a full health assessment, checking his scales, body condition and tail for any signs of injury or illness. He passed with flying colours.
Death adders are ambush predators, armed with potent neurotoxic venom and one of the fastest strikes of any snake in the world. Unlike most snakes that flee when approached, they rely on their camouflage and stay completely still, making them notoriously easy to miss among leaf litter, construction materials and, apparently, open toolboxes.
This young male will not be returned to the wild. The Australian Reptile Park is currently building its death adder population for its lifesaving venom program, and once he reaches maturity, he will play an important role in that work.
The Australian Reptile Park has operated its snake venom program since the 1950s and is the sole provider of raw venom used to produce antivenom for Australian terrestrial venomous snakes. More than 200 venomous snakes currently call the Park's Weigel Venom Centre home and are milked on a fortnightly basis. Death adders are one of five snake groups in the program, alongside king brown snakes, eastern brown snakes, tiger snakes and coastal taipans. The program is estimated to save around 300 Australian lives every year, with more than 25,000 lives saved since it began.
As for the toolbox? Best to give it a shake before you open it from now on.
If you find a snake in or around your home or workplace, do not approach it. Call a professional snake catcher and keep your distance until help arrives. Learn more about Australia's venomous snakes at the Weigel Venom Centre, open daily at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby on the Central Coast, just one hour from Sydney or Newcastle.