Most days when we are out training refresher dogs (those that have been before) we hear from some that they have seen their dogs avoid snakes directly as a result of the training. That makes the long days out in all weathers all over WA worthwhile. It is not always such good news; several we know of have been bitten since training with us. We do what we can, and it is definitely harder with high prey drive breeds and those with reptile and mammal hunting hobbies!

Few studies have been completed on snake hunting behaviour but certainly some species like dugites are highly mobile and will travel considerable distances, several kilometres for sure, through the suburbs seeking food. However, if a snake is lucky and finds a chook pen with a good supply of rodents to hand or a shed with rats and mice, who can blame them for staying around and making a home for themselves.

Newborn snakes appear around February to May in the Perth region, these young ones need to find a home - again one offering food, water and shelter. At any time of year if your back yard has mice, rats, frogs, shelter, water and what snakes perceive as a safe refuge they might visit and stay. Cats can also bring snakes directly into the home - I have already had one call this year from a lady whose cat 'kindly' carried a dugite upstairs into her bedroom.

Erica Morley and colleague Daniel Robert from the University of Bristol in the UK have been studying this. They created electromagnetic fields within sealed containers containing spiders to eliminate any breeze. When the fields were switched on the ballooning effect increased significantly. Further to that by switching the electric field on the spiders would move upwards and switching it off caused them to move downwards. It has long been known that the electric currents all around us are used by animals such as bumble bees for navigation and honeybees for communication, but the arachnids use of earth's natural electrical activity is I think quite amazing.

"At first, I thought I was fighting to save rubber trees, then I thought I was fighting to save the Amazon rainforest. Now I realise I am fighting for humanity"

He became increasingly political and alongside many with rubber tappers demanded changes to the road building, deforestation and cattle ranching that devastated vast areas for very short-term gain. Back in the 1980's what interested me about him was his ideas about the more sustainable use of the Amazonian forests. He promoted establishing vast 'extractive reserves', for having communities with education and healthcare for the people. He envisioned the sustainable harvesting of nuts, oils, fruits, and fibres rather than direct large-scale logging, as a means to both preserve the forests and give lasting economy to the families living within them. Regrettably, Chico was assassinated in December 1988 by local ranchers. His death was due to the conflicting attitudes of resident communities as he wished to preserve a sustainable Amazon Forest. He died before he could see the changing attitudes of people in regards to sustainability.

Chico Mendes was fundamental in the establishment of reserves now covering 13% of the Amazon area. His legacy whilst decades old still continues; however, the planet’s remaining rainforest areas are still under continuing threats from human development, ranching, fires and other threats to what is one of the planets most precious environments.

These are life savers – simply put, if applied with easy instructions followed you should not die.

Huntsman are quite typical spiders: eight legs, eight eyes and the ability to appear suddenly, move quickly and give one quite a fright. They are generally a placid creature, very useful in controlling pests around the home, especially laundries and bathrooms, probably due to the higher humidity in these areas. They are mainly reluctant to bite and are not considered dangerous to humans.

Over 200 species are found in Australia, they are mostly solitary in habit and rather than using silk to produce webs they are active hunters, fast moving and catch prey ranging from small insects like crickets, other spiders, beetles and the like but also some larger species tackle frogs, lizards, and even rodents. Their lifespan is approximately 2 years. The predators of huntsman spiders include birds and geckos. Huntsman spiders are from the family Sparassidae and there are over 1,000 species found worldwide, mostly in tropical and warm temperate regions.

One of the world's largest spiders is a huntsman from Queensland, Beregama aurea. This species of huntsman spider has a leg span that can reach 15cm and they can weigh over 5.5 grams. Whilst huntsman spiders do use venom to immobilize their prey, bites from sparassids usually do not require hospital treatment for humans.