Imagine stepping into your backyard, expecting a peaceful moment in your private oasis, only to be greeted by a sight that sends shivers down your spine. This was the reality for David Stein, a resident of Horsley Park in western Sydney, who experienced a discovery that could easily be the plot of a thriller movie.
‘It was terrifying,’ Mr Stein recalled the incident.
What started as an ordinary day quickly turned into a nightmare when he discovered the shocking reason for his unease. His backyard had become the unexpected gathering place for not one, not two, but 102 venomous snakes.
Mr Stein recounted his chilling encounter in his backyard at Horsley Park, ‘I saw a pile of snakes on the mulch pile… which gave me the shivers.’
Then, the initial shock turned to outright terror as the snakes quickly disappeared into the pile. With the help of his wife, who discovered that female snakes often congregate when ready to give birth, the couple realised they needed professional help.
They promptly called in the experts from Reptile Relocation Sydney, not knowing that they were about to uncover a serpent situation of epic proportions.
Corey Kerewaro, the owner of Reptile Relocation Sydney, sent out snake catcher Dylan Cooper to assess the situation. What they found was nothing short of astonishing.
‘Within a few minutes, we knew this was going to be unusual,’ the business shared on Facebook. ‘Snake after snake, they just kept being uncovered.’
The red-bellied snake, while not the most venomous in Australia, still packs a punch. The Australian Museum notes that symptoms of a bite can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, abdominal pain, and muscle pain and weakness.
Mr Kerewaro remarked that this was the ‘most [number of] venomous snakes in the one spot at the one time’ he’d ever encountered. ‘Pretty bizarre,’ he said.
The video below contains footage of snakes. If you have a fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), please proceed with caution or skip the video.
‘In nature, it’d be really common, it’s just that we physically don’t see it—we’re just the lucky ones that come across it,’ he explained.
The mulch pile, it turns out, provided ‘perfect conditions’ for the snakes, who had likely been residing there for about a month.
Among the slithering residents were approximately 36 babies and four adults. The number swelled to 102 after some of the snakes gave birth following their capture.
‘They do give birth to quite a high number of babies,’ Mr Kerewaro explained, though he also noted that the ‘chance[s] of survival of those babies are very, very low.’
‘They’re not bad as long as people are snake aware and they don’t mess with them,’ he advised after the serpentine incident, adding, ‘If it’s up around the house and you do want to remove them… call a catcher and get some advice.’
The video below contains footage of snakes. If you have a fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), please proceed with caution or skip the video.
For our readers over 50, this story is a cautionary tale about the importance of staying vigilant in our own backyards. As we enjoy the beauty of Australia’s great outdoors, let’s remember that we share it with a host of wildlife, some of which can be dangerous.
Always keep an eye out for unusual activity and educate yourself on what to do if you encounter wildlife on your property.
Have you ever had a close encounter with wildlife in your backyard? Share your stories and tips in the comments below—your experience could help a fellow YourLifeChoices reader avoid a potentially dangerous situation!
Also read: Do you have this potentially dangerous detail in your garden? Here’s how you could check!
