Right place at the right time

[Kantar]

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I visit this place often, at least a couple times a week. There is a strain of albinos I an just wanting to find. Many years ago I found a white and yellow snake but I was too young to realise it was an albino radix. So I left it alone and never saw it again, I just never knew what it was.

But yesterday during a visit and on my way back to my car I heard some crackling and movement in the bushes followed by alot of smoke and 2 kids around 18-20 years old noticed me and started to take off running, they really paniced when I started yelling loudly at them. That made them run away but I had to make a quick decision, that fire was spreading up the embankment very quick with all the dried up leaves and bush. As I hopped the fence I spotted an A&W cup, so I grabbed it, jumped into the water which was only about knee deep and drenched the area. That fire was hot and they used some sort of oil to start it. I just kept throwing water all over the area and eventually it was out.
After that I got on the phone with 911 and they sent the fire department to make sure everything is OK in the area, the fire marshall shook my hand and said good job. But I think the kids will never be caught.

I think next year I'm going to start a project and clean that section of Omands Creek. Maybe bring some wild snakes back into the area and see if I can help a population grow once again. Way too often I visit there and see snakes heads bashed in by these damn kids. I used to go there on any given day and catch a bunch of snakes. Now I'm lucky to even see 1 in a week.

Only if people were given titles, I'd be Mathew Schwager Guardian of Omands Creek

[guidofatherof5]

Nice work.
It's a shame there is so much cruelty in the world.

[RedSidedSPR]

Nice save!!! That's awesome that you did that. Good work.

Way too often I visit there and see snakes heads bashed in by these damn kids. I used to go there on any given day and catch a bunch of snakes. Now I'm lucky to even see 1 in a week.

I see that here too. Used to be a lot of snakes, I think that's one of the problems. Those damn kids are here too, and they do that too. I see it around my area, INCLUDING MY PROPERTY which REALLY pisses me off. I mean, someone is coming into MY property and killing MY snakes. i wish I knew who it was.

[chris-uk]

Great work, and lucky you were there. I tend to advocate more extreme punishments for teenagers like those when they get caught. Unfortunately it's not just in the UK that kids are growing up with little respect for anyone and anything.

One question - why would you reintroduce more snakes to an area where they'd be at risk from scum like the two who you thankfully stopped doing a lot of damage?

[Kantar]

There are so many frogs though, thousands! Its insane the amount of frogs there are with the lack of snakes. You can toss a rock into the weeds and you will see a frog panic and its like a chain reaction that goes along the bank of the creek, its amusing!

I don't know what I'd do if I stumble upon kids abusing snakes. It would put me into an instant rage.

[drache]

great save - whew
one does wish one were good at that tough love sort of thing that can educate those kids into some positive community spirit thing, and turn them around into fierce protectors
often they're just bored and thoughtless and without much in the way of role models

[Kantar]

One question - why would you reintroduce more snakes to an area where they'd be at risk from scum like the two who you thankfully stopped doing a lot of damage?

There are spots where the snakes do thrive without problems around the area. The ones that are unlucky to be caught under the bridge are the ones that are abused. Next year I'll be striving hard to fix that place up. It will give me something to do

[chris-uk]

There are spots where the snakes do thrive without problems around the area. The ones that are unlucky to be caught under the bridge are the ones that are abused. Next year I'll be striving hard to fix that place up. It will give me something to do

Sounds like a good plan if you can pick spots where they are safe.

[thamneil]

Habitat restoration at Omands Creek? Im in!

[infernalis]

Nice save!

Not to be a downer, just a realist....

relocating snakes does not have the "happy endings" folks envision. By removing them from one location and placing them in another, throws off the balance of nature, and possibly introduces parasites that may not be from the area you placed the snakes.

Clean up the area, and nature be willing, snakes will repopulate without any "help"