Discussion: Snake !
in: jennycas; jennycas > 2018-07-04
Jul 5, 2018 3:44 AM
#
I have seen more snakes while actually orienteering (not counting course setting, that is) in Sweden than in Aus. The ones that look like a mountain bike tyre are European Vipers and make Swedes raise their eyebrows.
Jul 5, 2018 7:22 AM
#
Pretty sure it was a Natrix natrix: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_snake
Jul 6, 2018 3:40 AM
#
Anna will love this. An excuse for her to actually look at AP!
And DickO, I have to laugh - our snake-loving daughter had so completely psyched out my husband about Australian snakes when we were visiting last year, he had one of his worst races ever because he kept thinking every stick or rustle in the grass was a snake. (We were somewhere SW of Brisbane, I think, and I was the only one to actually sight a small, green snake during the event). My husband would be horrified to hear you'd seen more in Sweden than Australia...
And DickO, I have to laugh - our snake-loving daughter had so completely psyched out my husband about Australian snakes when we were visiting last year, he had one of his worst races ever because he kept thinking every stick or rustle in the grass was a snake. (We were somewhere SW of Brisbane, I think, and I was the only one to actually sight a small, green snake during the event). My husband would be horrified to hear you'd seen more in Sweden than Australia...
Jul 6, 2018 5:41 AM
#
Not unusual not to see snakes in Australia. I've never seen one while orienteering or rogaining, only when I've been mapping or course setting, and then only about a dozen in 40 years. I've seen more than a dozen in suburban Perth, including one (a 1.5m dugite in my house once.
Growing up in the UK, grass snakes (non-venomous) were very common.
Growing up in the UK, grass snakes (non-venomous) were very common.
Jul 6, 2018 6:56 AM
#
I've only seen three snakes in competition (plus a couple in training) in 40 years.
As far as I know, there have only been two snakebites (neither involving serious injury) in the entire history of orienteering in Australia.
As far as I know, there have only been two snakebites (neither involving serious injury) in the entire history of orienteering in Australia.
Jul 6, 2018 7:56 AM
#
I think I have seen 3 or 4 in my 37 years orienteering and rogaining in Australia, saw more bears in 5 years in Canada, maybe they are just bigger and easier to spot!
Jul 6, 2018 9:00 AM
#
Saw 3 in one day on one rogaine, and that's it.
Well, by "saw" I mean "stepped over completely oblivious and only realised when my teammate squealed and jumped a metre in the air."
So I've probably "seen" quite a few. :)
Well, by "saw" I mean "stepped over completely oblivious and only realised when my teammate squealed and jumped a metre in the air."
So I've probably "seen" quite a few. :)
Jul 6, 2018 12:26 PM
#
Blair, there was one at the 2006 WRC in NSW but it bit a photographer rather than a competitor so does that count?
Jul 6, 2018 5:50 PM
#
It doesn't count because it was rogaining. (There was a rather nasty snakebite incident at a rogaine in SA a few years back).
This discussion thread is closed.