An Aussie driver on his way to the local golf course has been hailed a hero after pulling over on the side of the road and making a dramatic rescue.
Fellow motorist Maaika Cahill captured the moment wildlife educator Lockie Golding picked up an enormous python, thought to weigh about 10kg, and safely placed it on the other side of the road, where there was thick scrub.
“My husband and I came across this guy who had pulled over and stopped us so he could safely move a python off the road,” Maaika told Yahoo News of the incident on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast this week.
The woman said she was so “impressed” with his efforts, she tracked him down at the golf course later that day to thank him for his “good deed”.
She wasn’t alone in heaping praise on Lockie, after posting about his impressive efforts on a community forum, telling fellow residents he was “a hero”.
Wildlife educator saves ‘very large’ snake
For Lockie, who runs Australian Wildlife Encounters and teaches people how to “safely catch and relocate snakes”, it’s simply all in a day’s work.
Speaking of the moment he made the discovery, he said he spotted the “very large” coastal carpet python just as it was making its way across the road.
“I pulled up past the snake and ran down the road to stop the oncoming traffic,” he said. “I quickly scooped her up and walked her across to the other side and put her in the grass.”
Lockie said it was a matter of lucky timing that he was passing at the right time.
“It would have been devastating to lose such an impressive animal,” he said.
Lockie’s advice to fellow drivers who spot snakes on the road is to “put your hazard lights on to help slow oncoming traffic.
“If you are ever unsure of the species, you should always treat it as venomous,” he said. In most cases, snakes will “very quickly” leave the road when disturbed. “Most people are happy to wait in traffic if it’s for a good cause,” he said.
Sadly, wildlife strikes are all too common on Australian roads. It’s estimated that more than 10 million native animals are killed by vehicles each year in Australia, and while wildlife rescuers continue to speak out on the issue, most incidents usually go unreported.
Snakes ‘more active’ as spring kicks in
As spring kicks into full force, people are not the only ones enjoying the warmer weather. Snakes are also making moves with the change of season.
During the cooler months, snakes go into a state of brumation, a period of inactivity. And now that we’re getting into spring, they’re on the move. Sydney wildlife enthusiast and photographer Jesse Campbell recently told Yahoo News that snakes are starting to become more active in her area.
“Every year, from basically mid-August onwards, those first few sunny days are when snakes start poking their head up,” he said.
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