Terror Australis: Snakes, sharks, fires and other death traps

    

It's officially snake season. And all around the country, from Darwin to the Blue Mountains, a snake or snakes will be slithering to a patch of grass near you. Experts say the warmer months, and for some species the coinciding wet season, lures thousands of snakes out of hiding so they can hunt, breed and warm up their cold blood. And it's not just in bush paddocks and grassy outback trails you'll have to be alert; some of the deadliest snakes can be found in suburban backyards. "We get calls in Surry Hills," snake catcher Yo Matthews told news.com.au. For those outside of Sydney - Surry Hills is a heavily populated urban neighbourhood about 1km from the CBD.

The Eastern Brown snake is one of the deadliest and most common seen during summer as well as breeds like the red-bellied black snake and the odd tiger and carpet snakes.

 

Snakes on a beach: These Eastern Brown Snakes were spotted at Emerald Beach, NSW by news.com.au reader Charlotte Miller.

Mr Matthews is expecting around 2,000 calls this summer from Sydney through to the Blue Mountains, while NT reptile expert Chris Peberdy expects similar activity in the Top End. "Alice Springs is the biggest hotspot in Australia for brown snakes, and Darwin fields more calls for general snake sightings than anywhere in the country," he said.

OK, so we know they're going to be about. But before you completely freak out, there's a few things you can do to avoid seeing and, in a worst-case scenario, being bitten. "Almost all snake bites come from someone trying to catch or kill a snake. Do not attempt to do either of those things," a spokesman from NSW National Parks and Wildlife told news.com.au. "Snakes are very good at keeping themselves hidden because they're more threatened by us than the other way around. "If you can't back away safely from a snake, stand still and don't panic - it will get itself out of the way."

You can also take the following precautions to avoid bringing a hive of snakes to your place:

-       Keep your grass short and mow the lawn regularly:
- Clear the yard of excess scrubs, branches and loose leaves;
-

-       Pick up pet food, particularly bird seeds, chicken scratch and excess foodstuffs

-       Keep pets and kids away from bushy areas where snakes may be hiding

-       Take a first-aid course, especially if you're a parent.

In the rare case of a snake bite, call 000 immediately.

SHARKS

 

Out of the 13 shark attacks this year, 11 have come from great whites. There have been 13 reported shark attacks in Australia this year, including 11 from great whites. Western Australia is the hotspot with five, including the only two deaths of 2012, followed by NSW (4), SA (2), VIC (1) and TAS (1).

John West from the Taronga Conservation Society says the attacks are unprovoked and difficult to predict, but expects more during summer. "The more populated areas are more likely to have shark attacks," he said. "The numbers are very small. It's pretty hard to indicate when or where they're more likely to happen."

FIRES

 

Queensland, NSW and Victoria are most at-risk, with 60 bushfires already alight in Queensland. Western and south-west Sydney are in danger of bushfires over summer, while west of Melbourne is set for a bad grassfire season. "If you draw a line through Victoria just west of Melbourne, anything to the west of that is basically at a high fire danger," a CFA spokesman told news.com.au. "Grass fires are a real problem because they move very quickly and burn very hot and do a lot of damage in a short space of time. "They run fast and it's just about impossible to outrun them. It's important that people start now - slashing grass and moving vegetation from around their house."

JELLYFISH

 

Box jellyfish are prevalent in far-north Queensland. Far-north Queensland, particularly on the Barrier Reef, is notorious for stingers. The two you have to watch out for are the box jellyfish and the irukandji, according to stinger expert Colin Sparkes. "Box jellyfish are large, swim fast and they're clever," he said. "They'll give you big welts that stay for a long period of time."

Stinger nets have drastically reduced the number of incidents, but Mr Sparkes says you should also consider wearing stinger suits or long-sleeved clothing if you're swimming up north. "Irukanji are a lot smaller and can be around all-year round, but they definitely come in more during the summer months with northerly breezes." "They cause muscle cramps, nausea and then you feel like the world's going to end. It's terrible, terrible pain."

Further south, bluebox jellyfish are commonly seen around the Gold Coast and the NSW coast. They'll give you a nasty sting - and don't forget the old pee treatment.

MOSQUITOES

 

Dengue Fever is a danger in far-north Queensland. Dr Cameron Webb from the University of Sydney says the most common problem with mosquitoes is Ross River Virus - but that can essentially be contracted anywhere. "There's no typical area, but Perth and south-west WA have experienced a lot more activity in Ross River in the past couple of years," he told news.com.au. They mosquito hotspot in Australia is far-north Queensland, upstate from Townsville, the only place in the country you can contract Dengue Fever. "On the east coast, from south-east Queensland through to the far northern NSW border, you also get lots of nuisance of biting from mosquitoes and the chance of Barmah Forest Virus," he said.

What do you do if you're bitten and experience a fever and joint pain? "See a GP immediately for a blood test," Dr Webb added.

news.com.au

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