Rising river levels pushes snakes closer to towns

With a high Murray River, the adage of being kind to your neighbour applies to more than just the other people in your immediate vicinity, including ones we wouldn’t normally extend an olive branch to — snakes.  

Rising river levels mean local wildlife are moving from their usual creek bed habitats to find shelter on higher ground, occasionally bringing them closer to Riverland townships.

Karl Hillyard, principal ecologist for wildlife management at the Department for Environment and Water, said there was an increased chance of seeing snakes. 

“As river levels come up, people just need to be aware snakes might congregate in those high ground [areas],” he said

“Just pay attention as you go … Give snakes a wide birth. Admire them from a distance.”

Mr Hillyard said people should be respectful of snakes. They are protected native animals and play an important role in the ecosystem.

“Remember all the useful things they do for us in controlling rats and mice,” he said.

Friend or foe? 

Peter Mirtschin, a retired toxicologist, said the most common snake species around the Riverland and surrounding regions were tiger and brown snakes.

And out in the Mallee, the king brown and the death adder are commonplace.

Mr Mirtschin says to think twice before moving snakes along.

“We do advise that if you’ve got them in your backyards or on your property, it is a really good idea to leave them alone and let them be,” he said.

“They do play a role in the environment, they work for you for nothing, keeping the rodent population down.”

It can be safer to leave a snake alone as it is likely already familiar with your presence, Mr Mirtschin says.

“If you move them away it creates a void and it will eventually get filled by another snake, which won’t be familiar with your presence and might strike at you,” he said.

“And if you do remove a snake, unfortunately, all the science is showing that it is a really bad practice.

“Most of those snakes don’t do too well at all. It’s better all round if we learn to live with snakes.”