A WOMAN was airlifted to Port Macquarie Base Hospital after being bitten on the leg by a snake at a remote property on the weekend.
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A triple-0 call claimed the bite came from a taipan, a snake renowned as one of the most poisonous snakes in the world.
But the 27-year-old bite victim was discharged from the Port Macquarie Base Hospital the following morning.
Though it has not been confirmed if the suspected snake was believed to be a coastal or inland taipan, both species of deadly snake are by no means native to the area. The natural habitat for the inland taipan, or fierce snake, is in arid ground in the far west, and one drop of its venom is potent enough to kill 100 men.
The coastal or common taipan is native to the far north of Australia, and are rarely found in northern NSW.
Billabong Zoo Koala and Wildlife Park’s head of reptiles Stuart Johnson said he doubted even a coastal taipan - the more likely of the two - was the snake responsible.
“There’s always the odd chance,” he said. “But it’s highly unlikely considering the location so far south of the Queensland border.”
NSW Ambulance were called to reports the incident at a Lower Creek property, far west of South West Rocks, at about 12.20pm on Saturday.
Paramedics treated the woman with two puncture wounds to her lower leg, a spokeswoman for Ambulance NSW said. It’s believed the snake did not inject venom into the woman’s veins. This can happen in the case of a “dry bite” Billabong Zoo Koala and Wildlife Park owner Mark Stone explained.
He said snakes were known to inflict dry bites in a warning attack, and as a retaliation to a clear threat.
He said snake bites were a rarity, and could often be avoided.
“There’s a misconception that snakes go out and chase people,” Mr Stone said. “But you’re only going to come unstuck with a snake if you do something to agitate it, most of the time people get in trouble when they try and kill or move them.”
From the humble snake’s view on the ground, he said, a six foot human seems much more of a towering threat than we realise.
His views are echoed by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage which advises snakes are not naturally aggressive and always preferred to retreat.
NSW Ambulance responded to 38 triple-0 calls for snake bites between July and September last year, and attended 136 snake bites between spring and summer of 2012 and 2013.
Mr Stone said though snake bites may seem relatively rare, it was important families were prepared, and treated all incidents as potentially life-threatening.
“We need to have a healthy respect for the animal,” he said. “Snakes have no idea how deadly they are. The old saying the only good snake is a dead snake, upsets us deeply.”