I WAS dismayed, disgusted and saddened recently to see a car travelling in front of me deliberately skid over a black snake and kill it, 15km from town and not a residence in sight.
There has never been a death recorded from a bite from one of these shy and docile snakes.
Red-bellied black snakes are renowned for taking on the brown snakes and keeping them away from areas of human habitation, so if someone has to make a “hero” of themselves by killing any snake, please think twice before destroying a red-bellied black.
There were about 600 people seeking medical attention in Australia last year from snake bites, and two deaths recorded – one being questionable as to whether it was caused by snakebite – compared to 10 deaths from bee stings.
If the right procedure is taken after being bitten by a brown snake, one has up to 15 hours to get treatment.
Our brown and black snakes have very small fangs which can’t penetrate shoes or jeans.
And, more often than not, a snake will not venomise when it strikes, unless under extreme stress. As the saying goes, “Snakes don’t bite, people get bitten”.
Use some sense and spare the snake.
BAIDS MCINTYRE
TAMWORTH