Snake Hazards in Urban Australia - Understanding the Real Risk – and How to Manage It Safely By Urban Reptile Removal. Phone: 0418 633 474

Snake Hazards in Urban Australia

Understanding the Real Risk – and How to Manage It Safely

By Urban Reptile Removal

Phone: 0418 633 474

Australia has a global reputation for dangerous wildlife, and snakes often sit at the centre of that perception. However, when the risks are examined carefully and compared with other everyday hazards, a far more measured and informative picture emerges.

This article draws on decades of professional snake handling experience and is informed by the authoritative reference Working with Snakes by Geoff Coombe, widely regarded as one of the most practical and accurate texts on snake behaviour, hazards, and mitigation in Australia.

Urban Reptile Removal specialises in evidence-based snake risk management, not fear-driven responses. Understanding why snakes occur around homes, how real the danger actually is, and what can be done to reduce risk is the foundation of safe coexistence.

A World Perspective on Snake Risk

Globally, snakebite envenomation is a serious public health issue in parts of Africa, South-East Asia, and South America, particularly in rural regions where access to medical care and antivenom is limited.

Worldwide studies have identified approximately 278 medically significant venomous snake species, with hundreds of thousands of snakebite deaths occurring each year. Importantly, these deaths are concentrated in regions where:

• Healthcare access is poor

• Antivenom is unavailable or unaffordable

• People work barefoot or unprotected in agricultural settings

Australia does not fit this profile.

Despite having many highly venomous species, Australia has:

• Rapid emergency medical response

• Readily available antivenom

• High public awareness

• Effective first aid education

As a result, Australia’s snake fatality rate is among the lowest in the world.

How Real Is the Risk in Australia?

Ranking the “deadliest animals” is popular in the media, but often misleading. When fatalities are compared objectively, snakes sit far lower on the list than most people expect.

Average annual deaths worldwide (all causes):

• Mosquitoes: ~750,000 (mostly malaria)

• Humans (homicide): ~437,000

• Snakes: ~100,000

• Dogs (rabies): ~35,000

• Freshwater snails: ~20,000

• Bees and wasps (allergic reactions): significant contributor

In Australia specifically:

• Snakebite fatalities average 2–4 deaths per year

• Anaphylaxis (often from bee stings) causes more deaths than snakes

• Horses, dogs, sharks, and drowning all account for more fatalities

Over a 12-year period, more than half of all venom-related deaths in Australia were due to allergic reactions, not venom toxicity itself.

The data consistently shows that snakes are a low-probability hazard when managed correctly.

Is Australia Really Such a Dangerous Place?

When population density and snake species overlap are examined, major cities like Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne contain a limited number of dangerously venomous species, often fewer than people assume.

Importantly:

• High population does not correlate with high snakebite rates

• Snakebite incidents remain rare even in capital cities

• Most bites occur during deliberate interference with snakes

National coronial data shows that fatal snakebite numbers have declined over time, reflecting better education, first aid, and response protocols.

Why Snakes Are Attracted to Where People Live

Snakes do not seek out people or houses. They are drawn to resources, not humans.

Based on professional field observations and outlined clearly in Working with Snakes, snakes thrive near humans because of:

• Wide habitat tolerance

• High mobility

• Abundant food sources (rodents, frogs, lizards)

• Shelter opportunities created unintentionally by people

Urban environments often provide better survival conditions than bushland, particularly during drought, heatwaves, or habitat loss.

Common attractants around homes include:

• Thick ground-level vegetation

• Compost heaps and leaf piles

• Water features and ponds

• Bird netting and discarded mesh

• Rockeries and retaining walls

• Untidy sheds, garages, and under-house areas

• Grain, pet food, or rodent infestations

Snakes follow prey, and prey follows shelter.

Rectifying Snake Hazards on Residential Properties

Professional snake consultants quickly recognise repeating patterns across properties. The following measures significantly reduce snake activity:

Key risk-reduction strategies:

• Remove debris lying on the ground

• Keep vegetation pruned to knee height

• Eliminate rodent attractants

• Store materials off the ground

• Secure bird netting and mesh

• Fit fly-wire to wall vents

• Seal gaps under doors

• Keep work areas tidy and visible

These actions do not “snake-proof” a property completely, but they reduce shelter, reduce prey, and increase visibility, which is the most effective combination.

Can You “Snake-Proof” a Property?

Absolute snake-proofing is rarely achievable.

However, properties can be significantly hardened against snake entry by:

• Using fine mesh fencing

• Eliminating ground-level gaps

• Reducing cover corridors

• Managing landscaping design

As emphasised in Working with Snakes, education is often more effective than exclusion alone. Understanding snake behaviour allows property owners to respond calmly and appropriately when encounters occur.

How Residents Can Help Themselves

If a snake enters a building:

• Do not attempt to kill it

• Move people and pets away

• Close internal doors to contain movement

• Open an external exit where safe

• Call a licensed snake consultant immediately

If professional assistance is temporarily unavailable, a standard household broom can be used carefully to guide a visible snake towards an exit, provided protective clothing is worn and no attempt is made to strike the animal.

This method, when done calmly, is surprisingly effective and low risk, as documented in professional snake handling practice.

Specific Snake Scenarios and Solutions

Snake inside an occupied building

• Do not rush

• Observe calmly

• Isolate rooms

• Prevent escape into roof voids or wall cavities

• Contact a licensed professional

Snake outside the home

• Monitor from a distance

• Allow it to move away naturally

• Avoid hoses or aggressive disturbance

• Call for assistance if it remains in a high-risk area

Attempting to kill a snake significantly increases bite risk and is illegal under NSW wildlife legislation.

Rural and Semi-Rural Properties

Rural properties present additional challenges:

• Greater shelter availability

• Larger prey populations

• Less immediate access to professional assistance

Old sheds, stored materials, slashed grass left on the ground, and irrigation pits are all common snake refuges. Fire-management practices should aim to remove shelter, not simply cut vegetation and leave it in place.

Knowing Your Local Snake

Correct identification reduces unnecessary fear and inappropriate responses.

Many snake callouts involve:

• Non-venomous species

• Juvenile snakes mistaken for dangerous adults

• Snakes passing through rather than “residing”

Urban Reptile Removal places strong emphasis on education, identification, and context, rather than alarmist messaging.

Final Thoughts

Australia’s snakes deserve respect, not fear. The real danger lies in misunderstanding, panic, and poor decision-making.

By understanding:

• Why snakes occur

• How rarely serious incidents happen

• How to modify environments responsibly

Most snake encounters can be resolved safely, legally, and humanely.

Source Acknowledgement

This article is informed by Working with Snakes by Geoff Coombe, combined with long-term professional experience in urban snake management across New South Wales.

Need professional assistance or advice?

Urban Reptile Removal

📞 0418 633 474

Experienced, licensed, and evidence-based snake consultants serving Greater Sydney and NSW.