With two reported snake bite incidents recently in WA it’s worth reminding you to be careful. Fortunately as far as I have heard neither has died, both bites believed to be from brown snakes.

There has however been a fatality near Sydney recently, with the initial symptoms of collapse treated as a suspected stroke rather than snake bite.

The office has fielded many "Help! Snake in my garden" phone calls; our online shop is going great guns. I even enjoyed a great drive out to Mukinbudin in the Wheatbelt - had a lovely time delivering Snake Awareness talk and school visits over two days, and have a radiator grill full of locusts to prove it!

I am waffling away – so now back to the exciting recent discovery that the very, very first venomous crustacean has been described. It’s a type of Remipede Speleonectes tulumensis, and is found in underwater cave systems here in WA and also in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the Canary Islands. The venom is injected into the prey; this kills and liquefies it. The contents are then sucked up, like drinking a milkshake through a straw. Yum yum.

Dr Bjoern von Reumont from the Natural History Museum London commented: "This is the first time we have seen venom being used in crustaceans and the study adds a new major animal group to the roster of known venomous animals. Venoms are especially common in three of the four major groups of arthropods, such as insects. Crustaceans, however, are a glaring exception to the rule. While they can be as varied as tiny waterfleas, krill, crabs and barnacles, not one of the approximately 70,000 described species of crustaceans was known, until now, to be venomous."

Like most snakes confrontation is usually avoided and Dugites prefer retreat where possible when disturbed. With their small head they can squeeze into remarkably narrow spaces such as rodent holes. Sometimes when feeling threatened they tense up into the classic serpentine "S" shape. Whilst also raising their head and upper body up off the ground and spreading their hood – it makes an impressive warning.

When distressed, Dugites can deliver very fast, accurate strikes. Brown snake (Genus Pseudonaja) bites can prove fatal so caution as always is advised. However, the well equipped and properly dressed snake catcher has less to fear than the thong and shorts gung ho type. Most bites are to unprotected hands and feet.

Mating takes place in spring when most people will glimpse this otherwise elusive snake. Males have been observed in raised combat. Females lay and leave around 10-20 but up to 30 eggs buried in loose soil or under available cover. Incubation period of between 65-90 days is usual. Juvenile Dugites appear around February and March, are independent and venomous from hatching.

Eight hundred people call Churchill home and attacks by Polar Bear are quite common. They also cause much damage raiding bins and generally smashing up things looking for food. Despite their size they are surprisingly hard to spot blending in well with the snowy landscape. The real problem is that Churchill was built bang in the middle of the Polar Bear migration route!

You can go visit them if you like and have a Polar Bear tour.

So the men waited until the hottest part of the day before starting to run the Cheetahs down. Usually at this time it’s too hot to hunt and Cheetahs rest in the shade. Mr Hassan was sipping his morning tea when he saw the Cheetahs take another goat – so he waited several hours until the sun was high and with help of local youths chased after them until they were exhausted and captured. Cheetahs are famously fast – but only in short bursts especially when it’s very hot.

The Cheetahs were handed over to the Kenya Wildlife Service and the men are hoping to receive some compensation for the loss of their livestock. Goats are the backbone of the local community providing a form of currency, meat and milk.

I think this is a great story. I was delighted that the Cheetahs were not just trapped or killed – hopefully the villagers receive a reward and compensation and the Cheetahs relocated successfully elsewhere. These human animal conflicts are increasingly common around the world.

• Reducing pollution of pastures and waterways
• Aerating soils benefiting both root growth and earthworms.
• Burying valuable nutrients so fertilising the pastures
• Removing the breeding sites of buffalo flies, bush flies and biting midges

The beetles emerge in early spring to feed on dung and lay eggs into balls of dung they have rolled around and buried at the end of underground tunnels. An adult female can use 3kg of dung during her life cycle much of it during the larval stage.

Attached picture is of beetles and flies I saw arriving for the feast on a fresh Rhino turd in Botswana. Some of beetles were so huge I ducked to get out of their way!

• Learn heaps about snake biology.
• Find out about native pythons.
• Get to see some very, very deadly snakes.
• Practice snake bite first aid.
• Engage and handle some very friendly ones - fun and photos.