Sydney homeowner David Stein was stunned to discover more than 100 venomous red-bellied black snakes in his backyard, including 97 newborns and five adults, according to T-Online. The shocking find occurred after Stein noticed several snakes gathering in his garden over a period of two weeks.
"I saw a pile of snakes on the mulch pile ... which gave me the shivers," Stein said, describing the experience as "terrifying," according to news.com.au, Australia's leading news site. Concerned about the growing number of snakes, Stein and his wife suspected that the reptiles could be females gathering to collectively give birth, as reported by Gizmodo.
Following a near-fatal bite to their dog by a snake in December, Stein decided to call the animal rescue service Reptile Relocation Sydney to investigate the situation. The company sent experienced catcher Dylan Cooper to the property. Initially, Cooper expected to find four red-bellied black snakes but was surprised to discover 102 snakes in the mulch pile, as reported by ABC News Australia.
"When Dylan started digging through the mulch, we knew this was going to be unusual," Reptile Relocation Sydney stated. Cooper worked for three hours, rummaging through the ground cover and removing snake after snake. "Snake after snake, they just kept being uncovered," the company said.
The haul included 97 newborns and five adults, four of which were pregnant. "It was the biggest find of snakes our company has made," said Cory Kerewaro, owner of Reptile Relocation Sydney, according to ABC News Australia. Kerewaro described the discovery as "pretty bizarre," noting that they usually deal with one or two snakes at a time.
Red-bellied black snakes are a common venomous species found throughout eastern Australia, particularly in eastern New South Wales and Victoria, as reported by 1News. While venomous, they are generally considered to be inoffensive and usually do not pose a serious threat to humans, as their behavior is not aggressive and they shy away from humans unless provoked.
Female red-bellied black snakes often gather to give birth, sharing birthing sites for greater protection against predators. However, finding such a large number of snakes in one location is highly unusual. "We don't know anyone else that's found such a large volume of red-bellied black snakes in one spot," Kerewaro said.
The homeowners assisted in the removal process. "They ended up actually chugging on a pair of boots and long pants and helped rake through the pile," Kerewaro said, according to ABC News Australia.
David Stein expressed relief after the removal of the snakes. "While it was exciting to watch the whole thing, I feel good now that they're gone," he said. The snakes were relocated to a remote area in a national park, ensuring they could continue their lives in a safe environment.
Reptile Relocation Sydney emphasized the importance of calling professionals when dealing with snakes. "If it's up around the house and you do want to remove them ... call a catcher and get some advice," Kerewaro advised. "They're not bad as long as people are snake aware and they don't mess with them,” he added.
Reptile Relocation Sydney recommended people take several steps to snake-proof their homes, such as decluttering yards to eliminate hiding spots and removing food sources that attract rodents, which are prey for snakes.
The unusual discovery has garnered interest from researchers. "I've spoken to some colleagues and guys who write scientific papers ... and this is definitely something that is going to be recorded and used," Kerewaro said, as reported by ABC News Australia.
Red-bellied black snakes can typically grow to between 1.5 to 2 meters in length and primarily eat frogs, small mammals, and reptiles. While their bites are rarely deadly for humans, they can cause symptoms such as swelling, nausea, vomiting, and muscle pain.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq