Handle with care, snakes are on the plains

Eight new rangers took part in an annual snake training refresher course yesterday as part of the ACT urban wildlife program.

The rangers spend three days learning about the snakes most often found in the local area and the specific skills needed to catch them safely.

Ranger in charge Nadia Kuzmanoski said that each year the rangers received many calls concerning snake sightings in and around Canberra.

''A snake's natural habitat is all of the open space and bushland in the ACT,'' she said. ''Generally the snake is just making its way through the suburb, through your backyard, and it'll be on its way out soon.''

The best way to discourage them from entering your garden is to ''keep lawns and gardens maintained, ensure pet food and water bowls are not accessible, and keep compost heaps and things in sheds up off the ground,'' she said.

If you do see a snake in your yard, Ms Kuzmanoski says it's best for ''the snake to make its own way ... so usually we get people to move cats, dogs and children inside for an hour, and usually that's enough time for the snake to move on.''

If the snake is inside your house, however, call Canberra Connect on 13 22 81.

Ms Kuzmanoski also says it's important to remember that ''the main reason people get bitten is when they are trying to catch or kill a snake themselves, because the snake is trying to defend itself''.

Julian Craig, director and senior trainer of Working with Wildlife, agrees. He said that while only a few people a year are killed by snake bites, most are trying to kill the snake at the time.

Having been around snakes for more than 40 years, Mr Craig's advice is to leave snake removal to the professionals. If you come across a snake ''stand still, watch what it does and then move in the opposite direction slowly and carefully, keeping an eye on it. And then contact Parks and Wildlife.''