A suburban Sydney homeowner recently discovered a shocking number of venomous snakes in his backyard, sending chills down his spine. David Stein found an astonishing 102 red-bellied black snakes hiding in a pile of mulch at his Horsley Park home. The discovery has left many in disbelief, as the snakes are known for their venom and elusive nature.
Unbelievable Find in the Backyard
Stein initially spotted six red-bellied black snakes in the mulch. Concerned, he called in a snake catcher. However, the situation quickly escalated. “A couple of years ago, we mulched around our trees down the back here to keep them healthy and I came down the backyard early last week just to wander around and have a look around,” Stein said in an interview with Sunrise.
To his horror, the mulch pile, which had been harmless in the past, hid not only the six snakes but 102 in total. The venomous reptiles were uncovered as the couple began to dig through the pile.
The Terrifying Experience
Stein described the moment as terrifying. “I saw a pile of snakes on the mulch pile … which gave me the shivers,” he said. He quickly grabbed his camera but couldn’t capture the full extent before the snakes disappeared back into the mulch. As days passed, the snakes relocated and regrouped, confirming his worst fears.
Figure 2: David Stein during his interview with a news channel [Sunrise]
It wasn’t until his wife did some research that they learned female red-bellied black snakes often gather in one location to give birth. “They can birth up to 30 snakes at any one time. That’s a lot of snakes,” Stein noted.
Snake Catcher’s Unexpected Discovery
Reptile Relocation Sydney’s Cory and Dylan responded to the call for help. What began as a simple task of capturing a few snakes quickly turned into an unexpected situation. Dylan, who arrived on site, was initially tasked with capturing the snakes Stein had already seen. However, he was stunned by what he found. “Within 20 minutes, Dylan rang me back and said ‘I’m at over 30 snakes already,’” Cory shared. The numbers kept rising, and what was thought to be a small problem turned into a massive infestation.
After three hours of digging, they collected five adult red-bellied black snakes and 71 babies. Upon further inspection, two of the adult females had given birth during the process, bringing the total to 102 snakes. Cory noted, “This case was pretty bizarre. I honestly don’t know if anyone’s caught any more in the one property at one time.”
Figure 3: Life Cycle of Red-bellied Black Snake [Credit: X/ Learn it with Year 5]
The Venomous Red-Bellied Black Snake
Red-bellied black snakes are venomous, and their bite can cause a range of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, headaches, and abdominal pain. The Australian Museum reports that their venom has anti-coagulant and myotoxic effects. While these snakes are generally shy and avoid humans, their venom can be dangerous, making it essential to avoid close encounters.
Stein, although initially shocked, felt a sense of relief once the snakes were removed. “It was exciting to watch the whole thing, but I feel good now they’re gone,” he said.
Figure 4: Image showing the appearance of a bite site on digit #3 of the right hand, approximately 2 hours after being bitten by a large captive red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus), following the removal of the PBI, as reported by Weinstein, Scott & Mirtschin, Peter & White, Julian (2019). [Credit: ResearchGate, Australian Museum]
Public Reaction and Advice
The incident quickly gained attention online, with footage of the baby snakes slithering together in a bucket stunning nearly 50,000 viewers. Many Aussies shared their unease about the find, with one person commenting, “Lesson here. Don’t have a mulch pile!” Others joked about dropping the snakes at their ex-husband’s house.
Cory from Reptile Relocation Sydney also emphasized the importance of being “snake aware.” He explained that while the situation was uncommon, it’s not unusual for female snakes to gather in one location to give birth. “The mulch pile provided the ‘perfect conditions’ for the ladies to ‘set up house,’” Cory said. The stable temperature of the mulch is ideal for the development of the baby snakes, which is why they often gather there.
Relocation to Bushland
After the snakes were safely captured, they were relocated to undisclosed bushland. Cory made sure that the snakes were released far from populated areas to avoid further human encounters.
Conclusion
This terrifying snake infestation serves as a reminder of the dangers lurking in suburban areas. Homeowners need to be cautious and aware of their surroundings, particularly during the warmer months. If you encounter snakes, it’s crucial not to approach them. Instead, call a professional snake catcher for advice and removal.
