For nearly a decade, Gavin Smith of ACT Snake Removals has been rescuing and relocating reptiles across the Canberra region of Australia.
But recently, one snake showed him a survival trick so clever that it left even this veteran snake wrangler stunned.
The other day, Smith was called out to a home where a snake had been discovered trapped within a cistern-like pool.
“The homeowner was convinced it was dead, but I made the decision to go and check out for myself,” Smith wrote in a post. “And I’m very glad I did.”
The snake, who’d been in the water for at least several hours, at first did appear to be lifeless. But Smith then realized that he was actually witnessing something remarkable:
Rather than risk exhaustion and drowning by swimming in endless circles, the snake had knotted her body into a raft — allowing her to float with her head above the water while expending little energy.
Smith called it “honestly one of the most remarkable things I’ve seen,” adding, “You can understand how this maneuver literally blew my mind.”
And the snake’s will to survive paid off. Smith had arrived in time to save her.
Using his grabbing hook, the snake wrangler lifted her to safety and released her. “[She] appeared keen to be out of that predicament,” Smith said.
Few others are more experienced with snakes and their behavior than Smith. But despite that, his appreciation for them and their abilities continues to grow deeper by the day.
“They never cease to surprise and amaze,” Smith said. “Yes, [this was] definitely a significant observation … haven’t seen anything like this before.”
