A woman in Australia found one of the world’s deadliest snakes in her back garden, but it was hardly recognisable.
The one-and-a-half-metre-long Eastern brown snake was photographed at the home in East Cessnock, New South Wales on Wednesday, but the residents living there had absolutely no idea it was a venomous snake hiding beneath a silvery grey skin.
According to Paul Hampton, captain of the Cessnock Rescue Squad who captured the creature, some brown snakes turn grey just before shedding, which would explain the completely unrecognisable colour of the reptile.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Hampton said:
They get quite a lot of different colour variations and just before they shed they get a silvery colour.
It’s the second most venomous land snake in the world.
He went on to say the woman had accidentally stepped on the snake, which had been carrying a mouse in its mouth.
She called the rescue group who came to collect the reptile before releasing it into a bush.
Hampton warned that people should always assume the worst when it comes to snakes.
He told the publication:
Don’t try and identify them. Just assume all snakes are venomous and stay away from them.
Eastern brown snakes are regularly found around Australia’s east coast and can grow up to two and a half metres in size. One nasty nip from one of these wriggly fellas can lead to paralysis, renal failure or cardiac arrest. There is also the very real possibility of a bite proving fatal.
They are responsible for killing more people than any other species of snake. Thirty-five snake bite deaths were reported between 2000 and 2016, and 23 of them came from Eastern browns.
Back in 2017, a couple from Brisbane peeled back their bed covers to find an Eastern brown snake hiding in their bed.
Fortunately, snake catcher Stewart Lalor was able remove the poisonous creature form the suburban home without anyone getting hurt.
Sharing capture on Facebook, Lalor wrote:
Called out to a property in Murrarie where a brown snake was discovered in a customers bedroom. Not exactly the best place to encounter a highly venomous snake.
The eastern brown snake ranks as the second most venomous land snake on the planet. Fortunately these guys have no interest in humans and are only dangerous when interacted with, however in a situation like this the outcome could have been unfavourable.
It was safely removed and relocated away from any properties, always remember to leave snakes alone and call a professional snake catcher to deal with the situation.
All I can say is I’ve never been happier to live in England.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.