Aussie grandmother's shocking 'intimate encounter' with snake has everyone talking
- Replies 10
When it comes to facing down danger, many of us draw a line in the sand: do we run, or do we fight?
But for 64-year-old Kathleen, that line happened to be scaly, and maybe even venomous.
This grandmother was hailed for her nerves of steel after a stomach-churning ‘intimate encounter’ with a snake on popular Queensland tourist hotspot K’gari, also known as Fraser Island.
While holidaying at the island, Kathleen recounted an encounter where a snake appeared near the track as she, her daughter, and grandson walked.
If it were any other person in her place, they would have quickly run for it to safety.
But not Kathleen, who stood squarely in the snake’s path.
‘It wasn’t an option to move by that point,’ she told Yahoo News Australia.
At that moment, Kathleen said ‘so many things’ crossed her thoughts, including family safety, the snake's beauty, and a few expletives.
Kathleen's alert daughter photographed the snake moving between her legs. ‘I thought it would cross the path, but it chose to use me as a guide,’ she remarked.
Having experience in bush regeneration, Kathleen asserted that yielding to snakes is advisable. ‘It’s not my first snake encounter, but definitely my most intimate,’ she shared.
Once the snake had moved sufficiently away, Kathleen recalled how she quickly distanced herself.
‘I had so much adrenaline in my system; as soon as it disappeared into the bushes, I dashed towards the beach and let out a scream,’ she chuckled.
After posting her story online, many applauded Kathleen's composure.
One person said, ‘You did an awesome job standing still, I would have had a constant trickle of wee running down my legs.’
‘Well done for keeping a cool head Kathleen,’ said another.
‘You have nerves of steel!! I hope I can trust myself to stay still despite my head screaming “Run”,’ said a third.
However, Kathleen downplayed the accolades.
‘I’m sure anyone could do the same thing, I was nothing to the snake as long as I stayed still and didn’t give it any reason to notice me,’ she argued.
‘We have to remember we are not on the food list, and we are rather insignificant to them.’
Kathleen shared a picture of the snake on social media in an attempt to identify its species.
Unfortunately, due to the low quality of the photos, experts were unable to determine its classification.
K'gari, also known as Fraser Island, boasts a rich biodiversity, with 19 varieties of snakes among other native creatures such as dingoes, wallabies, spiders, and birds.
Some of these snakes, like the green tree snake, are non-venomous. However, others, like the death adder and eastern brown snake, are extremely venomous.
When encountering a snake
While the instinct might be to flee when spotting a snake, that's not the most recommended response.
Ranger Jackie, a snake expert from Hands on Wildlife, advised people to stand still just like Kathleen did.
‘Snakes don’t have very good eyesight, so if you stand still the snake won’t feel threatened or scared,’ she said.
‘And they will be less likely to bite, and you basically disappear to the snake.’
She also recommended calmly backing away from the snake so as to not startle it or trip over it.
It's also best not to attempt to identify whether the snake is venomous or not but, rather, to leave it undisturbed, she added.
Members, have you ever had a similar experience to Kathleen's? Given that the snake was already within striking distance when Kathleen spotted it, what would you have done in her place? Please share your thoughts in the comments and let us know!
But for 64-year-old Kathleen, that line happened to be scaly, and maybe even venomous.
This grandmother was hailed for her nerves of steel after a stomach-churning ‘intimate encounter’ with a snake on popular Queensland tourist hotspot K’gari, also known as Fraser Island.
While holidaying at the island, Kathleen recounted an encounter where a snake appeared near the track as she, her daughter, and grandson walked.
If it were any other person in her place, they would have quickly run for it to safety.
But not Kathleen, who stood squarely in the snake’s path.
Kathleen knew precisely how to react as the snake emerged from the bushes and approached her. Image source: Facebook
‘It wasn’t an option to move by that point,’ she told Yahoo News Australia.
At that moment, Kathleen said ‘so many things’ crossed her thoughts, including family safety, the snake's beauty, and a few expletives.
Kathleen's alert daughter photographed the snake moving between her legs. ‘I thought it would cross the path, but it chose to use me as a guide,’ she remarked.
Kathleen remained completely motionless as the snake 'tickled' her toes. Image source: Facebook
Having experience in bush regeneration, Kathleen asserted that yielding to snakes is advisable. ‘It’s not my first snake encounter, but definitely my most intimate,’ she shared.
Once the snake had moved sufficiently away, Kathleen recalled how she quickly distanced herself.
‘I had so much adrenaline in my system; as soon as it disappeared into the bushes, I dashed towards the beach and let out a scream,’ she chuckled.
After posting her story online, many applauded Kathleen's composure.
One person said, ‘You did an awesome job standing still, I would have had a constant trickle of wee running down my legs.’
‘Well done for keeping a cool head Kathleen,’ said another.
‘You have nerves of steel!! I hope I can trust myself to stay still despite my head screaming “Run”,’ said a third.
However, Kathleen downplayed the accolades.
‘I’m sure anyone could do the same thing, I was nothing to the snake as long as I stayed still and didn’t give it any reason to notice me,’ she argued.
‘We have to remember we are not on the food list, and we are rather insignificant to them.’
Kathleen shared a picture of the snake on social media in an attempt to identify its species.
Unfortunately, due to the low quality of the photos, experts were unable to determine its classification.
K'gari, also known as Fraser Island, boasts a rich biodiversity, with 19 varieties of snakes among other native creatures such as dingoes, wallabies, spiders, and birds.
Some of these snakes, like the green tree snake, are non-venomous. However, others, like the death adder and eastern brown snake, are extremely venomous.
When encountering a snake
While the instinct might be to flee when spotting a snake, that's not the most recommended response.
Ranger Jackie, a snake expert from Hands on Wildlife, advised people to stand still just like Kathleen did.
‘Snakes don’t have very good eyesight, so if you stand still the snake won’t feel threatened or scared,’ she said.
‘And they will be less likely to bite, and you basically disappear to the snake.’
She also recommended calmly backing away from the snake so as to not startle it or trip over it.
It's also best not to attempt to identify whether the snake is venomous or not but, rather, to leave it undisturbed, she added.
Last edited by a moderator:
.png){kind=icon}
