Massive red-bellied black snake surprises Newcastle wrangler called in to remove it
Wildlife wrangler Geoff de Looze is well accustomed to catching snakes and bagging them, but even he got the shock of his life when he found a massive red-bellied black snake at a job in the New South Wales Hunter Valley.
"Mate, this thing was huge. I don't even think I've seen one [a red-bellied black snake] half its size," Mr de Looze said of the massive reptile.
The snake had taken up residence at a Newcastle air conditioning firm in the suburb of Cameron Park.
"He wasn't coming out, but I could tell straight away that this snake was something else," Mr de Looze said.
"There were people all around me at the time, and luckily this one didn't have a go at me. These snakes will eat brown snakes and can get pretty nasty.
"These are the jobs you think: 'I should have brought an extra pair of undies today'."
Mr de Looze said that at two metres, the highly venomous red-bellied black snake was twice the length of an average adult of the species and guessed its weight at more than 10 kilograms and its age at about 15 years.
"Really, I didn't mess around once I had it. I held it up and there was only one chance for that photograph and I had it in the bag pretty quickly," he said.
"It was really heavy but I also have to make sure the animal isn't harmed by what's going on."
Drought conditions create 'snake season'
Mr de Looze, who works with private company Newcastle and Hunter Animal Control, took the massive snake for release to a National Park that had a flowing water supply.
Drought conditions in the Hunter Valley region has caused the region's first "snake season" in 15 years as reptiles move towards, and into, suburban areas in search of water.
Newcastle and Hunter Animal Control manager Gary Bear said his company was removing around six snakes a day, especially between Newcastle and Cessnock, and most of the species are red bellies and brown snakes.
"The snakes are moving late this year, but they are on the move," Mr Bear said.
"The big one that Geoff picked up headed for the air conditioning company because there's fresh water in the units, leaking taps and they can taste that with their forked tongues."
And the experts have a simple piece of advice for people if they see snakes in their yards or near their homes.
"Just leave them alone," Mr de Looze said.
"Really, if you get bitten, it's your fault. They want to be left alone but if you try and catch it or kill it, it will have no choice but to defend itself."
