Herp Report: People stop when snakes make wild appearances

Two stories popped up today, both with reminders that we should appreciate -- and leave -- the wild the way it is. From Oz, a report in The Examiner from Yamba's Whiting Beach:

Clarence Valley Wires reptile co-ordinator Stuart Dart said it was quite common for the species to be found in and around water. “It appeared as though they were two males wrestling to be the dominant male of the area, or a male and a female mating,” he said. Mr Dart said the sex of the animals was hard to determine without physically examining them and warned the public about approaching any snake as they were now becoming active after their winter hibernation.

And from Florida an article pointing out the benefits of native wildlife. From NaplesNews.com:

You might see them on the dry ground when they are young, feeding on frogs and lizards but as adults they will look for rodents, and birds in trees. Their body is built for climbing with constricting muscles and edged scales that run along its flattened belly. These specialized scales enable the snake to climb vertically in search of prey. I have even seen them resting on a tree limb. They are constrictors so they grab the prey with their mouths, coil around them to constrict their breathing and when dead, swallow them whole. These are beneficial reptiles that help to control rodents and other pests.