People horrified after spotting detail in photo mum took of children
A seemingly harmless photo of two young kids walking hand-in-hand in a forest has frightened the life out of parents online.
At a glance, it’s a cute picture of brother and sister on a dirt road in Eskdale, Victoria - the way it was intended by their mum.
After sharing a few snaps on social media in 2019, she was alerted that the hard-to-spot Eastern Brown Snake was just centimetres from her son's foot.
"She looked at the photos and then realised that the kids were right next to a snake," Snake Catcher Victoria’s Barry Goldsmith told Yahoo News.
Advert
The wildlife rescue service re-shared the images on their social media pages more recently, as one person commented: “Sure the little one didn’t get bitten? Jesus that’s close,” and another penned: “All I can say is thank you God.”
Are Eastern Brown Snakes dangerous?
The Eastern Brown Snake, also known as Pseudonaja textilis, tends to have ‘a slender to moderate build and a smallish head barely distinct from the neck’, according to the Australian Museum.
It was hard to spot because ‘body colour may be almost any shade of brown, ranging from near black to light tan, chestnut or burnt-orange’.
Eastern Browns are one of the most dangerous snakes in Australia. It lives in many of the country's most populated areas, so people are more likely to see this snake than many other species.
“As the initial bite is generally painless and often difficult to detect, anyone suspected of receiving a bite from an Eastern Brown Snake should call for medical attention without delay,” it explains.
“This species has the unfortunate distinction of causing more deaths from snake bite than any other species of snake in Australia.”
Are Eastern Brown Snakes likely to bite humans?
Eastern Brown Snakes aren’t likely to bite humans unless they feel threatened.
They usually prefer to escape rather than attack, as most bites happen when a person accidentally surprises the snake, corners it, steps on it or tries to catch or kill it.
"They're certainly not going to lie on the grass and wait for us to walk past and then jump out and bite us for no reason," Goldsmith said.
"Snakes don’t attack people, no one has ever been attacked by a snake. The snake’s always defending itself.
"They’re not really aggressive animals. All they've got is an instinct to fight or flight, so they don't want to have anything to do with us.
"They're certainly not going to lie on the grass and wait for us to walk past and then jump out and bite us for no reason.
“Ideally, the proper footwear and long pants is a good idea. And educating the kids to look around."
What to do if you see an Eastern Brown Snake
If you come across an Eastern Brown Snake, Goldsmith says to keep a distance of two to three metres and you should be fine.
“If you’re walking in the bush, you're probably expecting to see some animals anyway. They can’t all be cute and fluffy!” he pointed out.
Anish Vij