ACT snake catcher Gavin Smith brings some venomous reptiles to meet their local politicians in a bid to encourage education and protection for the species.
abc.net.au/news/act-legislative-assembly-regulation-protection-education-snakes/102155570An ACT snake catcher has brought some venomous reptiles to meet their local politicians in a bid to encourage education and protection for the species.A motion calling for an update to the Animal Welfare Act around snake catching has been heard in the ACT Legislative Assembly
Gavin Smith is an Associate Professor at Australian National University as well as a snake catcher, and is one of only a handful of people in the capital licensed to handle venomous snakes. "About 70 per cent of the snakes I catch in Canberra – that I look at under the microscope – are injured in some way," he said."[It's a] very persecuted animal, an animal under a lot of pressure and threat, and yet an animal that we need to have a balanced ecosystem."Eastern brown snakes can administer a bite that could be deadly to humans.
"Unfortunately, a lot of eastern brown snakes under the current legislation are injured with things that can be treated and healed, but are having to be released or euthanased before that treatment is given because I'm not lawfully allowed to do that." Ms Paterson said snakes were an important part of the local food chain, and a fear of them was no reason to cause them harm.
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