Snake in a chain: lucky escape for Australian woman after bite from deadly reptile caught in bike chain | New South Wales

A woman in her 60s is recovering after being bitten by a two-metre-long eastern brown snake caught in her bicycle chain in Australia.

He ran over the snake while cycling on the north river railway track near Burringbar in the Tweed region of northern New South Wales.

A NSW ambulance spokesman said paramedics were called to the scene about 1pm on Wednesday to help the woman who was bitten on the buttocks. He was taken to Tweed Valley hospital in a stable condition. He was discharged on Thursday morning, according to the Northern NSW local health district.

Eastern brown snakes are highly venomous and have been called the second most venomous snake in the world. It is a medium-sized species generally found over a wide area in eastern Australia, from northern Queensland to South Australia. Although brown snakes most common cause Among fatal snake bites in the country, deaths from bites of any snake species are rare.

Snake catcher Sarah Mailey, who was called to the scene, said that it was very difficult to free the snake from the bicycle chain because its upper body was completely free.

“His head wasn’t on the chain, so he was free to shoot his leg,” he said.

Mailey said the rider took a “dry bite,” meaning the poison did not enter the woman’s bloodstream.

Mailey eventually managed to secure the snake’s head and bystanders helped untie the chain. Police also came to the scene upon the request of medical teams to ensure public safety in the region.

Mailey said the snake was euthanized due to the injuries it sustained in the ordeal.

unique circumstances

Mailey, who was called to remove a number of snakes along the railway line, said the reptiles were often attracted to the underside of the concrete track by “small burrows and rodents digging underneath”.

“In April, snakes start looking for places to spend time and they crawl under those places,” he said.

“Given that he was probably just sitting there not moving, that wouldn’t be something he could do. [the bike rider] I would have noticed.”

The fact that the snake was also blind in its left eye probably contributed to the situation, he said.

“HE [the bike rider] “He probably thought it was a stick or a shadow, and given that the snake was blind in that eye, it was clear that he didn’t see the shadow coming towards him and wasn’t given enough time to move.”

Cool weather also played a role in slowing down the snake’s reflexes.

“If it were any other time of year and the snake wasn’t blind, it would have the energy and see it coming and get out of the way.

“So it’s just a mix of the times of year, the fact that it’s a blind snake, and unfortunately it’s just a part of life.”

While an incredibly rare mishap, Mailey found that it wasn’t entirely unprecedented.

“When something like this happened, I called one of my close friends who is a snake catcher. He’s been doing this for 31 years, and I told him what happened and he said, ‘I’ve been through this a few times.'”

Eastern brown snakes are often misidentified

Mailey said eastern brown snakes were often mistaken for completely harmless species by locals and holidaymakers, often based on their colouring.

“They are often misidentified with the spine snake, which is a completely harmless, non-venomous snake,” he said.

“People confuse brown snakes with eastern browns and even king browns…we also have the brown tree snake.”

Mailey said he frequently receives calls from holidaymakers who mistake seemingly harmless species for dangerous species.

“I get a lot of calls… thinking there is an eastern brown in the house at night… based on the colour, we will know it is just a brown tree snake.

“I’ve caught brown snakes of all colors, I’ve caught a really red one, a silver one, [and] A jet black one that makes me think I’m red [bellied black snake].

“[Eastern brown snakes] It comes in absolutely all colors.

He appealed to cyclists and walkers who encounter a snake on the road to be patient and careful.

“If you can see it from afar, stop and wait for it to move off the road,” he said. “If he doesn’t get off the road because the sun is shining and he can’t see you, get off your bike and try to walk as far as possible.”