The woman, who was at first believed by her husband and paramedics to have suffered a stroke, was in the garden of her holiday home in Glen Oak, near Clarence Town, on Saturday when she collapsed.
Taken to John Hunter Hospital, it was only when the woman failed to respond to treatment that the puncture wounds from the bite were spotted on her ankle.
By then it was too late to administer antivenom and she died from a brain haemorrhage.
The type of snake that bit her has not been confirmed but it's believed to have been a brown snake, the species that causes the most deaths in Australia.
Animal controller Peter Bryant told Jill Emberson from 1233 ABC Newcastle Mornings that with so many snakes active at present it was "only a matter of time" before someone was bitten.
"They did start off early, it wasn't even spring when I started getting a lot of calls," Peter says.
"This year I've been getting anywhere up to six-plus calls per day for snakes."
He says he usually gets only around three or four calls a day, at most.
And the calls have been mostly for venomous snakes, rather than non--venomous species like green tree snakes or diamond pythons.
"Unfortunately eastern browns, the most deadly on the east coast," Peter says, as well as red-bellied black snakes.
"The venomous snakes, yeah, I'm getting more and more calls."
Peter believes the increased snake activity is due to the hot weather we've had, as well as major bushfires, particularly in the Raymond
Terrace area which has become a bit of a snake hotspot.
But he's seeing snakes all around the Maitland and Newcastle areas.
"They're scattered all over the place, we're getting a lot of calls for snakes," Peter says.
He explains that a snake in a backyard or house is more dangerous than one you might spot in the bush, as it feels trapped and scared and is desperate to escape.
He's heard lots of reports of pet dogs being bitten by snakes and in many cases dying, and has advice for dog owners.
"Get your pet and yourself away from the snake, call for a licensed snake handler that knows what they're doing and we'll come and safely remove that snake and relocate it in a safe area," Peter says.
He warns anyone who's gardening or cleaning up their yard to wear long pants, sturdy shoes, a thick long-sleeved shirt and a pair of leather gardening gloves.
Peter says if you're venturing into an overgrown area you should poke around with a stick first to alert any snakes and allow them to get away, and keep your yard as clear as possible so there is nowhere for snakes to hide.
You can hear the interview with Peter Bryant here.
No comments:
Post a Comment