Jaw-Dropping Number of Venomous Snakes Removed From Man's Backyard

Yahoo

08-02-2025

A homeowner in Australia received quite the horrific shock when he called reptile experts after spotting a few snakes in his backyard. However, a search of the property turned up over 100 of the slithery creatures, which turned out to be venomous red-bellied black snakes.
Sydney resident David Stein learned from an internet search that the half-dozen snakes he saw slithering around on a pile of mulch in his backyard were likely pregnant, as the red-belly blacks—as the are commonly referred to—pile on top of each other before they give birth. The species is one of eastern Australia's most commonly seen snakes. Their venom can cause significant illness, though no deaths have been recorded.
Stein then contacted Reptile Relocation Sydney, which sent out a snake catcher that afternoon. Together, the pair raked away the mulch, bagging five adult snakes and 97 offspring. Cory Kerewaro, the owner of the relocation service, told ABC News that two of the captured adults gave birth to 29 newborn snakes in the bag while the snake catcher was still at work.
"Just seeing that amount in one group, it gives you a bit of the shudders," Stein recalled.
Kerewaro said he had never heard of so many snakes being caught at a single location, noting that the largest haul he had heard of was 30 non-venomous carpet pythons. However, while red-belly blacks give birth, baby pythons hatch from eggs, which can lead to a more prolific number of offspring.
"You can get a decent number like that when the babies are hatching," Kerewaro explained. "But to have this many venomous snakes, no one's come across it."
Australian wildlife expert Scott Eipper, who has written several books on the subject, spoke with Kerewaro during the capture effort and suggested that unusually hot weather may have triggered the snakes to rapidly give birth. He said that pregnant red-belly blacks may congregate for safety or shortage of suitable birthing habitat.
"This is an isolated incident. It's certainly a very rare occurrence," Eipper said, adding that the species typically has litters of four to 35 offspring.
In the meantime, because the red-belly blacks are a protected species in Australia, government authorities gave Kerewaro permission to release them into a national park. Though, he's aware that finding a good home for them is going to be tricky.
"Because there was such a large number, obviously people were a bit concerned where 100 snakes were going to go," Kerewaro added. "They'll be far enough away to avoid any human interaction; 100 snakes are going into the middle of the bush in the middle of nowhere."