Tiger snake attacks teenage bushwalker near Melbourne
A 15-year-old Melbourne boy is recovering in hospital after twice being bitten by a tiger snake while bushwalking. He was hiking with a friend in the Kinglake National Park north-east of the city when the tiger snake struck around 12.30pm (AEST) on Sunday.“The snake latched onto his ankle then let go before having another go and biting him again,” Rural Ambulance Victoria spokesman said.
“When our paramedics arrived, the boy was complaining of stomach cramps and blurred vision, which is common for snake bites.
“He and his friend had put a couple of tourniquets on his ankle. They knew what they were doing and the boy seemed to know his snakes as he was able to tell our crew it was a tiger snake.”
Paramedics treated the teenager at the scene before he was flown to the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, in a stable condition.
It seems he and his father are regular bushwalkers. The boy told his dad he did not pick the snake up and it looks like it disappeared back into the bush.
The current advice is not to use a tourniquet but use a pressure bandage, but I doubt he had one to hand, so given the circumstances he knew what he was doing.