Match made in venom

Margo Zlotkowski

Friday, September 5, 2008

TWO top venom researchers have taken their relationship the next step since finding a deadly taipan on one of their first dates.

Cairns venom zoologist Teresa Carrette was showing new boyfriend American venomous snakes expert Donald Schultz around Cairns last weekend when they chanced upon a 2.2m coastal taipan in the middle of McGregor Rd, near James Cook University at Smithfield.

View snakes and reptiles picture gallery.

"I’ve worked extensively with deadly animals in the States so it was a huge deal for me to come across one of Australia’s deadliest animals almost on cue," Mr Schultz said.

The South African-born herpetologist, who produces shows for TV cable network the Discovery Channel, said he was used to working with spitting cobras and black mambas so found the taipan "very placid".

"But a bite from a snake that big would be a huge medical emergency," he said.

"Their fangs are so long they wear holes in the bottom of their jaw so they don’t even have to open their mouth to envenomate you."

Mr Schultz and Ms Carrette, who is doing her PhD at JCU specialising in box jellyfish, met in San Diego two months ago where she was appearing in the Discovery show I Was Bitten!, about her painful experience being stung by an irukandji a few years ago.

"She has amazing snake-handling skills," Mr Schultz said admiringly of Ms Carrette, who helped him bundle up the taipan in a pillowcase last Saturday and take it to the Cairns Tropical Zoo.

"For someone like me, that’s kind of a bonus in a girlfriend."

An Environmental Protection Agency spokesman said it was not uncommon for coastal taipans to appear at this time of year, particularly in tropical areas where winter finished earlier. Taipans are highly venomous and can grow to about 2.6m.

Go online to view our snakes picture gallery at www.cairns.com.au/news

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Perfect date: International snake expert Donald Schultz was excited to find this 2.2m taipan near JCU's Smithfield campus.

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