Back From the Brink: Is This Australias Luckiest Kookaburra?

Dramatic video has captured the moment a kookaburra survived being constricted by an Australian carpet python.David Voss, who operates Gladstone Region Snake Catchers about 600 kilometres north of Queensland’s capital, Brisbane, shared the wild footage on July 30 after receiving a call about a python on a roof in the nearby suburb of Clinton.When he arrived, Voss found the two animals dangling from the roof of a home—the kookaburra remaining motionless as the snake maintained its grip.“Someone just said, ‘look, we’ve got a snake hanging off our roof with a kookaburra in its mouth,’” Voss told The Epoch Times.“It wasn’t in its mouth, it was constricted. It was wrapped around it.“So I grabbed the snake and the kookaburra. The two of them together, and the kookaburra wasn’t moving.”It was only after the pair were placed in a catch bag that Voss’s daughter Holly, who works with him on jobs, heard the bird making noises. They took it bird out and noticed only its eyes were moving. Moments later it began to squawk and flew off into sky.“Initially, I presumed it was dead,” Voss said.“So it was pretty fortunate because when they when they get constricted, that usually sort of crushes them and it kills them pretty quickly.“But what must have happened is the people phoned me really quickly.”Voss believes the kookaburra may have gone into shock, causing it to appear deceased.Gladstone snake catcher David Voss and daughter Holly are a father-daughter snake-catching duo. Courtesy of David VossThe veteran snake catcher of 10 years said he has occasionally rescued live animals in the process of being consumed, such as tree frogs, but more often the prey (rats, possums, or small cats) is already dead by the time he arrives.“(The python) probably missed out on a really good feed, and that kookaburra would have lasted, you know, probably six weeks,” Voss said.“They digest really slowly, and especially in winter. So you know, it’s nature. I’d hate to see the kookaburra die, but it would have been a good feed for the snake.”Voss also reminded people to start cleaning their yards in August as snake activity increases. He recommends removing rubbish and rodent attractants, keeping a first-aid kit on hand, knowing basic snake-bite response, and even taking a first-aid course if possible.He said people should also call a licenced professional rather than approach snakes.“Annually, there’s about 300 venomous snake bites which will be hospitalised, and there’s usually around three deaths per year,” Voss said.“So we had a death in Gladstone two years ago. Rockhampton’s had a death. So yeah, just let them be or call an expert.”Voss says after all these years catching slithering reptiles, he still loves what he does.“I love it because it gives me the opportunity to rescue snakes because otherwise sometimes people kill them,” he said.“It gives me an opportunity to catch a snake and help it survive and live, but also as a community service because you know I go into people’s houses and catch venomous snakes.“The people looking after snakes are looking after the people as well.”