A total of one hundred and two venomous serpents were extracted from a residential backyard in Sydney.
David Stein reached out to professionals after observing six snakes wriggling in a pile of mulch, subsequently learning that red-belly black snakes tend to pile on top of one another before giving birth.
Snake catcher Dylan Cooper was called in that same afternoon, successfully bagging five adults and 97 hatchlings.
Pic: Cory Kerewaro/AP
According to Reptile Relocation Sydney, two of the adult snakes delivered 29 offspring while the cleanup was ongoing.
Cory Kerewaro, the owner of the company, mentioned that the highest quantity he had encountered in a comparable scenario was 30 non-venomous carpet pythons.
Nonetheless, carpet pythons emerge from eggs, whereas red-belly black snakes give live birth.
“Such significant numbers can result during hatching periods,” Mr. Kerewaro remarked. “However, encountering this many venomous snakes is unprecedented.”
Pic: Cory Kerewaro/AP
This particular species typically produces a litter ranging from four to 35 young.
Snake specialist and author Scott Eipper suggested that the snakes may have clustered for protection or due to a lack of appropriate birthing habitats.
“This is an isolated event and is indeed a very unusual instance,” he commented.
The snakes have begun a new chapter in an undisclosed national park after receiving the green light from authorities for their release.
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“Given the significant number, it’s natural for people to be concerned about the whereabouts of 100 snakes,” Mr. Kerewaro added.
“They will be situated far enough away to avoid any human contact: these 100 snakes are heading into the heart of the bush, away from civilization,” he remarked.
In the meantime, Mr. Stein has pledged to eliminate the mulch promptly, having been cautioned that without its removal, the snakes could potentially return.
