Snake Catcher Captures Large Venomous Tiger Snake In Melbourne And Warns of Snake Influx

A highly venomous 1.6-meter tiger snake on the loose in Melbourne has been captured lurking in the brush while its mate got away down a hole.

Snake catcher, Stewart Gatt was called to the site under the West Gate Bridge at Spotswood.

He told media outlets the catch was probably the biggest snake he had ever found within the last four years. He hoped they would discover the female which got away within the next couple of days.

Gatt claimed it was not usual for such large venomous snakes to be found in the city because they are usually found and killed before they have a chance to get that big.

The snake he found was on the chubby side, though he claimed the skinny variety was mostly 1.2 meters and below. The snake was found near the land which was being cleared up. It was feeding off vermin in an old swamp.

The species has been documented as the fourth most venomous land snake in the world.

Gatt said they do not tend to be aggressive, but they are not docile. The snakes are defensive when they feel threatened.

He also advised passersby that had the chance to spot the tiger snake to give them a lot of space and move their pets away from the area.

He claimed, if one gives the snake a lot of space, 99 percent of the time they would disappear and go in the opposite direction.

The best thing would be to call a professional catcher as it is illegal to kill snakes or any of the native wildlife.

The trouble is the snakes have a higher tendency of being spotted as the warm weather arrives and that makes it a busy time for catchers.

He claimed this time of year there tends to be a snake explosion. When the sun comes out, the snakes wake up and start to look for prey.

They also tend to look for partners during this time as it is the mating season, hence the influx.

It was suggested Victorians stick to short grass or footpaths when they are out taking walks. It is not advisable to walk through the tall grass because the undergrowth makes it hard to see what is on the ground.

The snakes tend to bite people as a defensive measure when they are stepped on accidentally.

The snake catcher claimed though; there is no reason to be alarmed about the snakes. Apparently, more people were prone to die from dog or horse-related injuries.

The majority of individuals get bitten while trying to kill or capture the snakes.