Australia: Rockhampton residents fighting deluge of snakes and crocodiles

[marmar]

from the Telegraph UK:



A brown snake sits on the fence during flooding in Rockhampton, Queensland Photo: REX FEATURES


Authorities in the coastal city have warned residents to keep out of the murky brown water, after snakes up to 6.5 feet long were spotted close to the town centre and rumours spread that saltwater crocodiles had been seen in the nearby Fitzroy River.

The snakes, including highly venomous taipans, brown snakes and red-bellied blacks, were climbing trees and hiding in people's houses as they searched for dry refuge, residents said.

The snake plague has become so bad that some residents have taken to their boats with shotguns to go "snake hunting", the Courier Mail reported.

"(Snakes are) in their mating season and they've been flushed out of their environment ... snakes are very, very cranky right now," State Emergency Service (SES) operations director Scott Mahaffey said.

"(And) the problem with crocodiles now is it's very, very hard to pick (them out) with the amount of debris," he added. One SES volunteer said he had seen "two cops hightailing it out of the water with a croc going past".

One crocodile was rumoured to have eaten a dog and the large reptiles have been blamed for 15 missing cattle.

Thousands of poisonous cane toads were also spotted around Rockhampton while authorities say the town will also be hit by sandflies and disease-carrying mosquitoes breeding in the standing water. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8238492/Rockhampton-residents-fighting-deluge-of-snakes-and-crocodiles.html

[malaise]

1. Here is the best link complete with local radio

http://www.abc.net.au/news/

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/01/04/3106023.htm
Voices from the floods


add link

[NV Whino]

2. Wow, and we thought the water was bad.

[LiberalEsto]

3. The GOP is at it again

Overrunning Australia & our House of Representatives simultaneously