Australian Woman Shocked To Find World's Second-Most Poisonous Snake In Daughter’s Drawer

Australia is the land of kangaroos, stunning landscapes and, of course, snakes that seem to have mastered the art of hide-and-seek. While most Australians are accustomed to sharing their vast backyard with these slithery creatures, some encounters can still send shivers down your spine, as one unsuspecting mother recently discovered. A woman in Australia stumbled upon the second-most venomous snake in the world while reaching into her three-year-old daughter’s underwear drawer. Yes, you read that correctly – a deadly serpent seeking refuge among toddler-sized garments.

New York Post reported that Mark Pelley, an Australian snake hunter, was summoned to extract a 5-foot Eastern brown snake from a toddler’s bedroom. He arrived at the scene armed with experience and a snake-catching toolkit that would make Indiana Jones proud.

Pelley took to Facebook to share the gripping rescue mission, along with a video that had viewers on the edge of their seats. In his post, he recounted the incident, explaining, “Mum went to get some clothes for her son and found a large five-foot eastern brown snake instead. We figured out what happened. She carried in folded laundry yesterday and as she was taking clothes from [the] clothesline, [the] brown snake crawled into it."

Now, the real question on everyone’s mind – how did this stealthy serpent go unnoticed by the mother?

Pelley offered some insight, revealing that these snakes are not only venomous but also surprisingly lightweight. In fact, he reassured his online audience by saying, “They weigh next to nothing, and seriously — this can happen to anyone. I’ve seen people carry brown snakes in their handbags or otherwise shopping bags. One day this could happen to you."

While the incident left many social media users in disbelief, it served as a stark reminder of the prevalence of these reptiles in Australia. According to data from the University of Melbourne’s Australian Venom Research Unit, Eastern brown snakes boast the second most toxic venom among all land snakes globally. Their venom contains a potent neurotoxin that progressively paralyzes the victim’s nerves, targeting the heart, lungs and diaphragm, ultimately leading to suffocation.

Alessandro Palci, a reptile researcher at Flinders University in Australia, provides insights into the snake’s habitat preferences, highlighting that this species is widespread across the eastern half of Australia. He told Newsweek that it thrives in farmland and suburban areas, attracted by the abundance of its preferred prey – rats and mice. Due to their adaptability to suburban environments, encounters with humans are not uncommon. In other words, be prepared to meet these slithery neighbours while navigating the Australian suburbs.