Snake catcher shares his call out hotspots
An Adelaide snake catcher has revealed to 7News which suburbs he is most called to – and they are closer to the city than you might think.
South Australia’s warm start to Spring has snakes out and about already, and it has residents treading carefully around their yards.
“It means the snakes get warmed up very quickly, which means they come out looking for food, looking for mates,” Deb Kelly from the Environment Department said.
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Snake catcher Ian Renton said the slithering creatures are not that hard to find.
“Over the last few years we’ve seen probably an increase in snake activity probably of between 15 and 20 per cent per year,” he said.
In the northern suburbs, he said the call-out hotspots are Mawson Lakes, Para Hills and Hope Valley.
South of Adelaide - Aberfoyle Park, Reynella and Hallett Cove are the main places he is needed.
Klemzig, Fullarton and Marleston are on the radar for snake catchers closer to the city.
Ms Kelly warned snakes were being spotted in more locations more often.
“We’re seeing them everywhere, particularly the brown snake in Adelaide is particularly common in every suburb around train tracks, parks, linear parks,” she said.
On the Adelaide Plains, residents are most likely to spot brown snakes, but red bellied blacks and copperheads are often found in the Adelaide Hills, while tiger snakes prefer wetter areas.
Experts have warned people are most likely to get bitten when they panic and try to catch or kill a snake themselves, and it is best to call a professional.
