A Sutherland Shire snake identification Facebook group that was launched to help residents recognise the different types of species in the area, is growing in popularity.
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Yarrawarrah snake catcher and WIRES volunteer of 10 years, Tyler Gibbons, started the social public group, Sutherland Shire Snake Sightings.
It has almost 3000 members, with plenty of interest from people who are keen to know what type of snake has been spotted either inside their house, backyard or in the wild.
Mr Gibbons says the group is a place where people can share snake sightings - photos, videos and locations, but that it also serves as a record for future reference and research.
By encouraging people to provide visual documentation through photos, it becomes easier for experts or knowledgeable individuals to identify the snake species accurately, he said.
"The group is only about 10 months old and it's kind of exploded - I didn't expect it," Mr Gibbons said. "It was just small group for people in the shire who were interested in reptiles.
"We run a series of information posts, such as which snakes are venomous, and we have some good photos. The other day a beautiful Diamond Python was spotted climbing a Banksia tree and it had a 75,000 post reach. It was re-posted pretty much on every snake identification page in Australia."
Many of the group's members are also WIRES volunteers. "We have reptile enthusiasts who moderate the group," he said. "We get a lot of positive feedback and good questions but there is lot of misinformation. I get a lot of calls from people saying there is an Eastern Brown snake in their backyard, but it's often a Yellow Faced Whip or a Marsh snake.
"They are all mildly venomous but it comes down to the circumstance (whether to catch them or not) - if they have pets in their yard or children, I take that into account before making the decision to remove an animal that can be fine to keep in the yard and co-exist with us very easily. We have a fairly diverse ecosystem and we want people to live in harmony with nature."
The recent hot weather is also increasing snake activity in the area, he said. "This high humidity is always a good environment to bring the snakes out," Mr Gibbons said. "There is a lot of moisture around and a lot of food in the bush.
"They're just coming out of their breeding season since November last year, and Diamond Pythons have laid their eggs, and are now dispersing across the shire. I had five calls yesterday for baby Red Bellies. They're extremely shy and usually very hard to catch."
If you spot a snake, contact the professionals, he said. "Take a photo from safe distance. Don't approach the snake. If it's in the house, try to cordon off the area, shut doors and put blankets at the bottom of doors."
