Deadly snake spotted 'cooling off' in shallow water sparks warning to Aussies
As heatwaves sweep across large parts of the country, animals are looking for ways to cool off too.
As heatwaves sweep across large parts of the country, Aussies have been looking for ways to cool off in the sizzling conditions. While some people have access to pools and beaches, not all are so lucky — including our native animals.
Earlier this week, an extremely venomous tiger snake was spotted in regional Victoria taking a dip in some shallow water, which a wildlife expert said serves as a warning to always remember to be alert, given how hard it can sometimes be to spot the slithery serpents.
Snake catcher Gianni Hodgson from Hodgson Snakes said the creature, located in Clunes, a tiny town 36 kilometres north of Ballarat, was probably either cooling off, looking for dinner or evading predators.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Hodson said he was impressed by how long the snake managed to hold its breath under water — a whopping nine minutes.
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"Tiger snakes are found in most places in Victoria," he told Yahoo. "They can go into water for many reasons, to cool off, catch fish or frogs, to have a drink and even to even to evade predators.
"The best thing you can do if you come across any snake is to keep your eyes on it and walk backwards until you are a safe distance away."
While barely visible in the photo, Hodgson said he hopes the vision can "raise awareness of what might be in your environment". "It's important to use your eyes. Take a torch with you at night... especially on these cracking hot days," he warned.
Tiger snakes are identifiable by their signature black and yellow stripes. They're extremely venomous, meaning it's best people avoid them if they stumble across one in the wild. The species is often found near watery environments such as creeks, dams, drains, lagoons, wetlands and swamps.
They're commonly found around southeastern Australia and in the country's southwest.
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