Respecting the Scales

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‘Mathew Hampton, the owner of Snake Identification Australia, the largest Australian snake education service, is a seasoned snake catcher reflecting on his 22-year journey from a curious teenager to a wildlife expert. Growing up on the Sunshine Coast, his passion for snakes was nurtured by family and hands-on training. He highlights the importance of safety, the unpredictable nature of his work, and common misconceptions about snakes. As the founder of Snake Identification Australia, he advocates for education and conservation, encouraging a shift from fear to understanding for a better coexistence with these fascinating creatures.’

Background

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I grew up on the Sunshine Coast Queensland, I was very fortunate to grow up in an amazing area for wildlife.

Can you tell us about your background and experience in snake catching? How did you first get involved with catching snakes?

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I've had 22 years’ experience with snakes, I was raised to appreciate animals by my grandfather. My mother bought my first snake at 14 years of age which encouraged my passion, and I began following around the local catcher. After a year or two of careful training and a slow induction I caught my first venomous snake at 16. That started me off on my career trajectory.

Do you need any special certifications or training related to snake handling and wildlife management?

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It's a lot easier now than it used to be which has its own issues, but these days you need to have a snake handling course certificate and some references. However, it varies state by state. I've also had a significant wildlife rescue and zookeeper background which helps back up your applications.

Can you share with us what a day in the life of a snake catcher looks like?

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Catching full time is a really fun lifestyle, you can get a call at any time, so you always need to be prepared, usually when you get 1 you get a heap of calls back-to-back and it's always a thrill driving there wondering what you're about to catch!

What are the most common snake species you encounter in your area?

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I live in Thailand these days in-between work commitments, so I'm mostly catching rat snakes, tree snakes, water snakes and the odd Cobra!

Can you describe the behaviour of a snake when it feels threatened?

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Snakes know 3 behaviours when it comes to being disturbed, Fight - They will flatten out, hiss, rear up and as a last resort advance to the perceived threat. Flight - They will flee immediately on sight of a potential threat. Crypsis - Remaining dead still and hoping to avoid detection by the potential threat.

What techniques/equipment do you use for safely capturing and relocating snakes?

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A hook is the main tool for catching most venomous snakes, although I use my hands its extremely important to have the right tools ready as you never know what situation you're pulling a snake from.

How do you ensure the safety of both yourself and the snake during a capture?

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My experience in snake behaviour enables me to apply the right technique to each situation as no situation is the same.

Can you describe a particularly challenging snake-catching situation you've faced? How did you handle it?

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I once had to catch a highly venomous Strap Snouted Brown Snake from a trench amongst 3 Bearded Dragons that were about to be buried alive by a machine, I had to carefully encourage the snake to keep moving while periodically moving the lizards out also. One of the dragons was bitten during the process and unfortunately later died. As your skills develop you can apply them to tricky catches. It takes many years to learn how to handle tricky situations.

Have you ever been bitten by a snake?

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I've been bitten by a handful of mildly venomous species; these I were handling without fear as I wasn't concerned about the venom. Now that I'm older and more responsible I don't recommend that behaviour at all. I've never been bitten by a highly venomous species.

What common misconceptions do people have about snakes that you often address?

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We hear many myths about snakes, probably the most common is that they chase people, they really don't. Incidents that resemble chasing are just misinterpretations of natural behaviour with a bit of over exaggeration

What is your stance on snake conservation, and how do you promote it in your work?

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Education conquers ignorance. We all have the power to learn about the local snakes in our area. With some simple steps it’s possible to minimise a negative snake encounter and in time learn about the valuable role snakes play in the ecosystem as well as their amazing features and behaviours.

I built Snake Identification Australia which is Australia's largest snake education service. We have over 150,000 members and identification snakes for people worldwide 24/7, 365 days a year completely free of charge. I especially enjoy answering questions that alleviate fears and seeing the change in people when they come to respect snakes.

For anyone who does get bitten by a snake, what is the first thing they should do?

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In reality with the right knowledge there is really not much to fear from snakes, some simple safety precautions can minimise the chance of a negative encounter. I recommend carrying a Survival Snake Bite Kit with you on any outdoor activity. They have fantastic easy to use bandages that make treating a bite as easy as possible with all the parts you need.

Words of Wisdom

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If there's anything l've learnt about snake education in 22 years, it's how easy it is they are to live with. While it seems daunting when you may have a very real fear of snakes, when you break it down to your area, a handful of local species, familiarise yourself to their identification features and their habits, it's so much easier to make some simple changes to your property to avoid a negative encounter.

Almost everything we are taught about snakes is from a place of fear and ignorance, the media amplifies this and its the snakes that pay the price. When you open to learning and come to understand how amazing they really are, you can become a force for good and educate others.