Australian snake catcher leaps to capture venomous snake

Stuart McKenzie operates a snake catching business on the Sunshine Coast in Australia.

A snake catcher recorded the moment he leapt from the edge of a pool to capture one of the most deadly snakes on the planet.

Stuart McKenzie had spent three days fruitlessly trying to snare the huge eastern brown snake, which had taken up residence in a family garden in Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, Australia.

The species is the second most venomous land snake on the planet, behind the more reclusive Inland Taipan, which is also found in Australia.

McKenzie said every time he had tried to catch the serpent it had darted under a concrete slab in the garden.

The snake had then resisted any attempt to dislodge it from underneath the slab, including when McKenzie used a water hose and leaf blower.

Bereft of other options, McKenzie opted for a more unorthodox approach.

Writing on his Facebook page, he said: "The final thing left to do was to jump off the edge of the pool and land next to him and grab him when he was out from underneath the slab. And let's just say it worked a treat."

In the footage McKenzie can be seen waiting for the snake to emerge before hopping down and quickly scooping up the reptile.

McKenzie's callouts are often for large pythons that have taken up residence in people's sheds.

The brown snake is seen writhing and comes close to McKenzie's body on two occasions. However the professional catcher manages to keep the snake at arm's length before placing it into a bag.

Snakes are a common feature in the Queensland region of Australia at this time of year. However residents of the state are being warned that a coming heatwave will see a surge in snakes coming into contact with humans.

The snakes are currently in breeding season but the heat will make the cold-blooded reptiles more active than usual.

Snake catchers in the state are already reporting large spikes in callouts and warning residents not to try and tackle the serpents by themselves.