Deadly snake discoveries all in a day's work on outback NT cattle station

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Flaviemys purvisi

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NT Country Hour
By Katrina Beavan
July 3, 2018

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Daniel Purvis captures a photo of a death adder he almost stood on at a remote NT cattle station during a bore run.

(Supplied: Daniel Purvis)



For most people, stumbling across one of the most venomous snakes in the world by yourself on a daily work trip would be rather terrifying, but for Daniel Purvis it's all in a day's work.

Hailing from Victoria, Mr Purvis has been working on Alexandria Station in the Northern Territory for about three months in the stock camp, and also as a bore runner.

This means he travels around to different watering points on the property making sure all the bores are clear and there is a constant supply of fresh, clean water available for the cattle.

His daily circuit is an epic 320 kilometres, which he does alone.

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While checking bores on Alexandria Station, two common death adders were spotted and here is one of the photos taken. Common death adders are native to Australia is one of the most venomous land snakes in Australia and globally. It can deliver the fastest strike among all venomous snakes recorded in Australia. They eat small mammals and birds. The common death adder lies in wait for its prey and covers itself with leaves, making itself inconspicuous, and lies coiled in ambush, twitching its grub-like tail close to its head as a lure. They are facing an increased threat from the ongoing cane toad invasion.

Keep your eyes out for venomous snakes basking in the sun to warm up.

Photo credit: Daniel Purvis – Alexandria Station, NT



Mr Purvis said he had never worked in the Territory before, and just a few months into the job, he stumbled upon not one, but two death adders, metres apart.

"I was just going through my usual routine, it was the first bore of the morning, [I was] just walking up to the check the level of the Turkey's Nest [small dam]," Mr Purvis said.

"I noticed a snake sitting on the bank, I took a step back, I was pretty close to him at that stage, just about on top of him.

"I hadn't seen that species of snake anywhere before, so I didn't really know what it was.

"Just had a good look at him, got a photo, and took about 10 steps and there was another one.

"I thought, 'oh hang on, here we go'.


"I was pretty cautious after that with every step."

Mr Purvis said he then discovered the snake was in fact one of the world's most deadly varieties, that has one of the fastest strikes.

"Turns out it was a death adder, which is pretty interesting because we don't get any of them down in Victoria, pretty cool looking creature," he said.

Mr Purvis said he had seen an additional death adder at another bore since and he also continues to see that first death adder, at the same bore, in the same spot.

"He hasn't moved in the last three days, it's been pretty cold out here, that wind has picked up a bit," he said.

Worlds apart
Owned by North Australia Pastoral Company, Alexandria and its outstations spans more than a million hectares, taking the title of the NT's largest cattle station.

Mr Purvis said it is very different to home in Central Victoria.

"It's a huge change of scenery, it's very flat out here on the Barkly, [and the size] is amazing, it's hard to get your head around actually," he said.

Despite the recent reptile finds, Mr Purvis said the radio in the car and the snake bandage in the glove box both gave him peace of mind.

"I'm always on the look out now, always," he said.
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Cattle walk through dry conditions at the Northern Territory's Alexandria Station.

(supplied: David Hammelswang)



Death adder danger
The death adder often features in lists of the top 10 most venomous snakes in the world.

According to NT based snake catcher and Alice Springs Reptile Centre Director, Rex Neindorf, the snake Mr Purvis found was a Barkly death adder, which as its name suggests is only found in the Barkly region.

"Through that typical black soil country, in that area they would probably be common," Mr Neindorf said.

Despite the fact that it's the middle of the dry season with cooler temperatures in the area, Mr Neindorf said snakes can be found all year round in Northern Australia.

"Certainly, in the dry season you would see less, but they're still visible," he said.

As for how dangerous they are, Mr Neindorf said if a person were to pick one up or do something else 'silly', then there could be trouble.

But otherwise, he said death adders were not very aggressive.
 
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