While out for a bike ride today we happened upon this copperhead snake who'd sadly met its end under a car wheel
Not being Australian born I had to look up the snake species (I'm assuming most Australians learn their snake species at school right?) to find out that it's a copperhead. Their venom is 'extremely' poisonous which I imagine means chance of death if untreated!
I was taken by the beautiful colours all shimmering and metallic looking down either side. Indeed it is well named as copperhead.
I also learnt while researching the method of producing antivenom. A horse is given initially very small doses of the snake venom so that it generates antibodies. Gradually the dose of venom is increased until the horse makes large amounts of the antibody, then its blood is harvested and the antibodies seperated for use as antivenom along with a large dose of antihistamine.
Excuse the black paint, I thought I'd spare you from the red gore!
I’m not from Australia myself and have to look out for these myself when we are out camping. Somebody had a lucky escape by the look of it. Resteemed
We once saw a big red bellied black snake while out camping in NSW that was about 1.5m... luckily on that occasion we were in a van not a tent! The only other live snake I've seen was a tiny one about 10cm long.
We had one of those in our front yard a couple of years back, it was quite a big one.
We saw it leaving our yard as we were driving out the driveway and I was glad I was in a car.
We might have large animals that want to eat you in Canada but at least we don't have all the deadly snakes of Australia! I'm pretty sure we don't have many venimous snake only rattle snake the rest are harmless...Looks like that one wont be biting anyone soon!
I'll take snakes over bears any day... at least snakes don't seek you out looking for an easy dinner ;-)
Actually bears don't seek us as easy dinner, they fear us as much as we fear them. We are not a worthy lunch and not worth the effort. Make noise while walking in the woods and they will likely do their best to avoid humans except when they have cubs, then they will be more likely up for a challenge.
Thanks, I'll try to remember that when I'm next in bear country... that and to wear my best pair of running shoes ;-)
god don't do that!!! running will make them chase you last thing youshould do when you meet big game, run and you become their toy!! and they climb trees, better off with a can of bear spray.