It's a double whammy for farmers after months of flooding that has isolated towns and torn apart rural roads — hampering vets’ efforts to treat livestock bitten by snakes.
NSW Farmers Rural Affairs Committee’s Sarah Thompson said the increase in snake sightings being reported was a worry.
Farmers are reporting increased snake sightings as floodwaters force the reptiles onto higher ground.
“It’s a worry because people with dogs or who are going out to move stranded livestock are at a higher risk of being bitten,” Mrs Thompson said.
“This is happening everywhere. We’ve heard recently about livestock being lost to snakes because some farms are more like islands than paddocks, and they can’t get to a vet.”
The spike in snake numbers coincided with increased activity during summer.
Australian Reptile Park said about 3000 snake bites were reported each year and about 10 per cent required antivenom.
First aid for snake bites included keeping the bite victim calm and immobile, applying a pressure-immobilisation bandage to the bite site, then bandaging the entire limb (not just the bite area) and seeking emergency medical assistance immediately by calling an ambulance or going directly to hospital.
While the advice to keep lawns short and avoid piling up household items was an excellent snake deterrent in urban areas, Mrs Thompson said for flood-affected rural communities vigilance was key.
“We know snakes aren’t generally trying to hurt us or our animals, but coming closer together because of flooding increases the risk of an attack for humans and animals,” she said.
“People just need to use some common sense, keep an eye out and be extra careful.”
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