‘Cranky’ venomous snake was ‘wandering in and out’ of home. Then firefighters arrived
A family in Australia encountered an unwanted — and moody — reptilian visitor meandering around their property and called firefighters for help.
The family found the venomous snake “wandering in and out” of their home in a Sydney suburb on the evening of Jan. 29, Fire and Rescue New South Wales said in a Jan. 30 news release. They called firefighters for help removing the animal.
Fire and rescue crews arrived and located the snake in the backyard, officials said. They identified it as a roughly 5-foot-long red-bellied black snake.
“It was a tricky job as it slithered in and out of foliage,” Brady Clarke, a captain with Fire and Rescue New South Wales, said in the release.
“We noticed it was in pain, thanks to a tick attached to its back,” Clarke said. “We were extra cautious as a venomous snake in a cranky mood can be especially dangerous.”
Eventually, the firefighters managed to capture the snake and put it in a mesh holding pen, officials said and a photo shows.
The red-bellied black snake was given to a wildlife rescue group for medical treatment, firefighters said.
Select crews from Fire and Rescue New South Wales are trained on how to safely wrangle and remove snakes.
Red-bellied black snakes are “one of the most frequently encountered snakes on the east coast of Australia, and are responsible for a number of bites every year,” according to the Australian Museum. They can reach up to about 6.5 feet in length and, although generally “shy,” will “deliver a serious bite” when feeling trapped.
Sydney is in the state of New South Wales.
This story was originally published January 30, 2024 at 9:00 AM with the headline "‘Cranky’ venomous snake was ‘wandering in and out’ of home. Then firefighters arrived."
