Centimetres from death: Horrified mother spots one of the world’s most venomous snakes lurking as her children skip along a dirt track
- Brother and sister were playing together in Eskdale, north east Victoria
- Their doting mother Alanna took a photo of the wandering pair from behind
- After the walk, the mother checked the image and a shiver ran down her spine
Skipping along a dirt track hand in hand, these two children had no idea they were centimetres from death.
The brother and sister were playing together under blue skies near their house in Eskdale, north east Victoria.
Their doting mother Alanna, determined to preserve the memory, took a photo of the wandering pair from behind.
After the walk, the mother checked the image and a shiver ran down her spine.
Skipping along a dirt track hand in hand, these two children had no idea they were centimetres from death
Lurking in the undergrowth, just to right of her son’s foot, was a deadly eastern brown snake.
The species, which can cause a cardiac arrest just minutes after biting, is responsible for 41 per cent of snake deaths in Australia.
It is the second most venomous snake in the world after the inland taipan found in central east Australia.
Snakecatcher Barry Goldsmith shared the chilling photo after Alanna’s father Mark sent it to him.
He wrote: ‘Mark sent me this pic his daughter Alanna took of her kids as they skipped down a track on his property at on the Mitta Mitta river.
‘No one saw the large Eastern brown snake until they looked at the pics later.
The brother and sister were playing together under blue skies near their house in Eskdale, north east Victoria
‘The snake saw them coming and watched as they unknowingly skipped past.
‘Really goes to show that snakes are not aggressive and just need respect. Pretty cool huh.’
He added: ‘Thank you Mark, for sending me the pic and for your understanding and compassion for the animals that we share our beautiful country with.
‘Zoom in to the ground on the right of the kids.
‘Please be careful, take care this Summer, and be nice to snakes’.