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A photo of a common danger, hidden in an everyday backyard item, has been shared with Australians, warning them that not all dangers are obvious.
A highly venomous eastern brown snake was caught lurking in a stone wall at a property in Greenbank, Queensland, last week.
Snake catcher Brandon Wilkinson took a photo that reveals how difficult it was to spot the incredibly dangerous reptile.
The snake was hiding among the rocks of a retaining wall that borders the property’s garden.
Can you see the snake? Snake handler Brandon Wilkinson was called after a homeowner’s dog alerted them to a snake in his backyard.
The poisonous Eastern Brown could only be seen up close, hidden in the rock wall.
The owners’ dog noticed the venomous reptile and called Wilkinson at Snake Catchers Brisbane and Gold Coast.
He told the Daily Mail that the snake was protecting itself from the dog.
“The homeowners’ dogs were the first to notice the snake, which is why the snake hid in the wall in the first place, to protect itself from a perceived predator.”
Wilkinson said the snake was full of eggs, called a gravid female, and he believes that prevented it from hiding completely.
‘Being pregnant hinders the snakes’ ability to seek refuge in certain places. I think it kept her from pressing herself against the rock wall as hard as she would have liked.
But if the owners hadn’t seen her enter there, they probably wouldn’t have noticed her presence.
He shared the image of the hidden snake on Tuesday on his workplace’s Facebook page, asking his followers to “find the snake.”
Most were unable to locate the snake with one social media user commenting: “Carpet python in the grass in front of the rock.”
Not long after, he posted the answer and many people were surprised by how well the snake was hidden.
One person wrote: ‘I always have a better chance of finding Wally. “I really appreciate these ‘identify’s, they raise awareness.”
“Great hiding place.” said another.
The pregnant Eastern Brown couldn’t hide completely because she was full of eggs.
Most social media users couldn’t find where the snake was hiding and one guessed it was in the grass.
The snake catcher said that snakes hiding in his backyard are part of the snake protecting itself, and people should be aware but not worried.
‘Snakes will seek shelter from any potential threats when on the move. If a snake has an escape route, it will take it 99 out of 100 times.
“When people get too close to the snake and put the animal in a position where they feel cornered or feel like they can’t escape, they actively fight back,” Wilkinson said.
He said snakes are not territorial and therefore do not defend an area.
“However, they do have a range, the snake will spend most of its life within this radius, removing them from their range is detrimental to the snake,” Wilkinson said.
Brandon Wilkinson (pictured) handling another snake. The cowboy urges people to stay away from snakes and call a professional if they see one of the reptiles.
Wilkinson said Eastern brown snakes, while very common on the East Coast, only make up 3.5 percent of the snakes the company captures on calls.
“I think it’s also worth noting that 90 per cent of snake bites in Australia come from people trying to catch or kill them,” he said.
The snake keeper gave advice to people if they encountered a snake.
‘Give the animal space, stay away from it and keep an eye on it as best you can. “If you don’t notice the snake and get too close to the animal, stay still until the snake moves away to a safe distance and then back away,” Wilkinson said.
“Call a licensed snake catcher as soon as possible.”