With a warmer-than-usual winter behind us, the Australian Reptile Park is warning that snakes are already on the move.
The warmer months are here, and so are the snakes. With temperatures rising earlier than usual this year, the Australian Reptile Park is issuing a timely warning to all Australians: snake season has arrived, and the Park's experts want you to be ready.
Operations Manager Brandon Gifford says the Park has already received more snake reports than usual for this time of year, a sign that the warmer winter has given snakes a head start.
"The snakes are on the move, and we've had more reports than usual for this time of year. Because snakes heat up and cool down with their environment, the warmer weather gets them to start feeding and start breeding," said Brandon Gifford, Operations Manager.
The good news is that a few simple steps around the home can dramatically reduce the risk. Keep doors and windows closed to stop snakes entering the house. In the backyard, remove scraps of metal, timber piles and other debris that heat up in the sun and make ideal snake shelters. Keep lawns trimmed and gardens tidy, and avoid letting clutter build up close to the house.
If a snake does appear in or around your home, the advice is simple: leave it alone.
"If you encounter a snake in your place, in or outside of the house, call a professional and leave it to the snake catcher. Don't try and approach it yourself and be a hero, because most people are bitten when they're trying to interact with the animal. Leave it to professionals and they can safely relocate it out in the bush," said Brandon.
If the worst does happen and someone is bitten, acting quickly is everything. Remove watches and jewellery from the affected limb, apply a pressure immobilisation bandage over the bite site and up the entire limb (a piece of clothing will do if no bandage is available), then call triple zero and stay calm until help arrives. Crucially, apply first aid before calling for help, not after.
"Whether you think it's venomous or non-venomous, treat all bites the same and apply immediate snake bite first aid whilst also sending for help. This will allow you to get to the hospital and be treated for symptoms in time," said Brandon.
CSL Seqirus has also released the free Australian Bites and Stings app, which provides first aid guidance and emergency information for snake bites and other venomous creatures. Download it at cslseqirus.com.au.
The stakes behind this work are significant. The Australian Reptile Park is the sole supplier of terrestrial snake venom for antivenom production in Australia. Over more than 60 years, the Park's antivenom program has saved an estimated 25,000 lives. Venom milked at the Park is supplied to CSL Seqirus, who transform it into the lifesaving antivenom used in hospitals nationwide.
"If you are bitten and receive antivenom, that antivenom that has saved your life began its journey here at the Australian Reptile Park," said Brandon.
Learn more about Australia's venomous snakes and snake safety 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.