What would your reaction be when you come across a snake?
Most people would want to kill the snake or call someone else to kill it.
But Susan Fari, wildlife officer with Port Moresby Nature Park, says you should walk away from it.
She says the reason behind most attacks is because they were disturbed.
“They’d only attack if they are disturbed or feel threatened. For a python, they don’t go around looking for prey, they ambush them - meaning, they sleep at a particular area and await their prey.
“So most snakebites from non-venomous pythons are only because people are disturbing them and their environment/ territory, may be when cleaning the bush for garden or something,” Fari said.
She said snakes are not to be feared.
The simple rule is, if it’s a poisonous snake, don’t go near it. If it’s a non-venomous sake, don’t kill it because they play a role in the environment. If there were no snakes, then we would have problems with rodents, rats.
Best advice is avoid their environment or territory and if you come across one, walk away from it.
Port Moresby Nature Park has one Alberto’s python, six Tree green pythons and one carpet python.
They also two Salvadorian monitor lizards, endangered in PNG.
All are off display while a reptile house plan is underway.