Taipans, the world's deadliest snake have recently crashed in numbers in captivity.

Three years ago, the owner of a private zoo in NSW knowingly traded snakes infected with a previously unknown virus. As a result of this negligent action, captive stocks of some snakes were decimated. Among the most severely affected were the Taipans, which were required for production of anti-venom and other research purposes.

As a result, the demand and prices of these snakes has skyrocketed.

Snakebusters are contributing to the conservation effort by using their expertise to incubate a clutch of eggs. The adult female, received by snakebusters mid 2004, laid 9 eggs, four of which were fertile and are now due to hatch.

These were laid over 2 months ago and are due to hatch any day.

The young will be raised for use in public displays and also to enhance captive stocks.

Media are advised to that they will have the rare opportunity to film live snakes emerging from the eggs within days and should make arrangements to be notified if they want to obtain footage of this rare event.

Snakebusters are an Australian leader in wildlife conservation.

The director, Raymond Hoser wrote the book "Endangered Animals of Australia", the bible on the subject, that was published by a commercial publisher in 1991. It was a best-seller at the time.

He has also published several other related books, including the definitive "Australian Reptiles and Frogs", first published in 1989.

This summer season the Snakebusters facility has also bred Death Adders (X2), Carpet Snakes, Tiger Snakes and other reptiles. One of the Adder breedings represents the world's first breeding of venomoid Australian snakes. That is, snakes that have had their venom glands surgically removed, making the snakes harmless. The Death Adders are not due to produce young until March at the earliest.

In the past Raymond Hoser bred so many Death Adders that he was unable to give the young away and so massive numbers were re-released into the wild north-west of Sydney in an area where stocks had been depleted by bushfires.

Further inquiries to Snakebusters at:
0412 777 211 (Within Australia)
or
03 9812 3322 (Within Australia)