slim6y
Almost Legendary
Published On: 10-12-2009
Source: Daily Mercury
TODD Harrington's two dogs, Oscar and Jade, look proud as punch sitting on the lawn in their backyard.
The two dogs killed a deadly taipan at the Harringtons' Eimeo residence after it slithered its way under their fence.
Mr Harrington's house backs on to a reserve and he believes that is where the snake came from before his dogs tore it in two.
He said he called a wildlife ranger and described the features of the snake to him.
“The man said he was 90 per cent sure it was a taipan.”
Mr Harrington said the wildlife ranger had told him it wasn't every day you heard of two dogs surviving an encounter with a deadly reptile like a taipan or a brown snake.
“I have two young children so I am very thankful,” he said. “The snake was found only metres from the sandpit where they play.
“I guess the key message is that there are snakes about and to proceed with caution if you see one in your backyard.”
Australian Wildlife Rescue Service snake handler Fay Paterson said yesterday Mackay was well and truly into snake season. “It is the mating season at the moment and there has been a lot of snake movements.”
She said in the past six weeks she had caught about 44 snakes in the region.
It was easy to detect a brown snake, she said, as they had small heads and a creamy belly with a flicker of red through it, while a taipan was distinguishable by its head and its square nose, which gives them the title 'Coffin Head'.
She said nine times out of 10, when people called to say they had a brown snake or a taipan it ended up being a tree snake.
“Normally you can get rid of a green tree snake by putting the hose on it.” But Ms Paterson said if someone found what they believed to be a dangerous snake they should not touch it or go near it and call a snake handler or a wildlife ranger.
She said 95 per cent of people were bitten because they had been trying either to catch it or kill a snake.
“The best thing is to leave it alone,” she said.
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Source: Daily Mercury
TODD Harrington's two dogs, Oscar and Jade, look proud as punch sitting on the lawn in their backyard.
The two dogs killed a deadly taipan at the Harringtons' Eimeo residence after it slithered its way under their fence.
Mr Harrington's house backs on to a reserve and he believes that is where the snake came from before his dogs tore it in two.
He said he called a wildlife ranger and described the features of the snake to him.
“The man said he was 90 per cent sure it was a taipan.”
Mr Harrington said the wildlife ranger had told him it wasn't every day you heard of two dogs surviving an encounter with a deadly reptile like a taipan or a brown snake.
“I have two young children so I am very thankful,” he said. “The snake was found only metres from the sandpit where they play.
“I guess the key message is that there are snakes about and to proceed with caution if you see one in your backyard.”
Australian Wildlife Rescue Service snake handler Fay Paterson said yesterday Mackay was well and truly into snake season. “It is the mating season at the moment and there has been a lot of snake movements.”
She said in the past six weeks she had caught about 44 snakes in the region.
It was easy to detect a brown snake, she said, as they had small heads and a creamy belly with a flicker of red through it, while a taipan was distinguishable by its head and its square nose, which gives them the title 'Coffin Head'.
She said nine times out of 10, when people called to say they had a brown snake or a taipan it ended up being a tree snake.
“Normally you can get rid of a green tree snake by putting the hose on it.” But Ms Paterson said if someone found what they believed to be a dangerous snake they should not touch it or go near it and call a snake handler or a wildlife ranger.
She said 95 per cent of people were bitten because they had been trying either to catch it or kill a snake.
“The best thing is to leave it alone,” she said.
Go to Original Article
