Deadly Snakes

[Bretw80]

Hey guys,

I work for ZOO Weekly magazine, and also own my own Bredli (if you read the mag you may have seen him in there a few times).

We are doing a story on venomous snakes due to the poor bloke who got bitten by the death adder in Sydney yesterday.

We're trying to find out what venomous snakes are the most common in each state. If anyone knows what snakes are most common in their area can you please shoot me a PM with the info. Or even point me to a map that would show this info. Please PM me or email me on bret.woods@emap.com.au

Thanks so much for your help.

Cheers
Bret

[ando611]

South coast of NSW. The Diamond python.....(jokes, sorry couldn't resist)

No i'd say Eastern Browns or Tigers. Death Adders are typically nocturnal but reasonably common as well.

[Bretw80]

Hey guys, can you PM or email me, we don't want other media stealing our ideas.


Cheers
Bret

[Bretw80]

any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Bret

[ando611]

Please state in your article that snakes only bite if trodden on or unduely provoked.

People need to be educated that snakes are not aggressive killers

[herptrader]

I would suggest you contact somebody like Venom Supplies or somebody like that. The will be able direct you to the stats on in venemous snake bites, fatalities etc.

The term "Deadly" is interesting. Most people use it to me the serpent with the most toxic venom but sensibly the most deadly should mean the serpent with the most number of fatalities from its bites.

One interesting stat I can (half - so don't quote me) remember is from a presentation at a VHS meeting many years ago which suggested that the number of venemous snakes, based on snake bite victim stats, had dropped by half every 10 years since 1900. This means that the venemous snake population has dropped to less than 1% of what it was since europeans arrived in Australia. An obvious culprit here is feral animls - mainly cats.

Feel free to share any interesting information you come up with.

[ando611]

check pm

[Bretw80]

Thanks for that Ando.

Yeah we aren't saying that snakes are killers. it's more where what snakes are where.

B

[Matty.B]

do we get free mags by any chance hehe

[SlothHead]

I reckon your best bet and most accurate answer will be to email Richard Shine at Sydney uni, he is probably Australias leading authority on Australian Elapids

rics@bio.usyd.edu.au

Thats his email

That will give the most educated and walking the walk material, i am sure if he has time that he would probably do an interview with you.

I have emailed him many times with work that i am doing and he is always helpful to throw a dog a bone

D