Bob Orange

There is a taxidermically stuffed snake sitting on the reception desk at the Australian National Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre. The snake is a 1.1 metre long Eastern Brown Snake Pseudonaja textilis who came to be called Bob Orange after he was sprayed orange as part of a survey of the reptiles in the garden. He was seen often in the Gardens by staff, who had a natural healthy respect for him (he could have killed an adult human if he bit them and anti-venin wasn't administered soon enough). They are proud of the fact that the Gardens offered natural enough habitat for this wild and elusive creature to thrive there. Sadly, he was accidentally run over and killed some years ago, but other snakes continue to live in the gardens, as do a variety of lizards and frogs.

I very much approve of the way the message the Gardens gives visitors is essentially 'the Gardens have venomous snakes -- we love them. You need to respect them and we'd like you to help us monitor them'. Really up front, the message isn't fluffy, patronising or sensational, but professional and informative.

(Although I have to admit, the part of me with Grumpy Old Git Syndrome wishes they'd just gone for the somewhat less professional but honest 'the Gardens have snakes -- get over it'.)

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Preuilly Weather Update: It snowed steadily here for an hour from 8 am, in big soft flakes that are sticking well and truly. The weather report says it is supposed to snow this morning, rain this afternoon, then snow again this evening, with more rain overnight. It doesn't look like it's going to freeze, so I think we won't have the snow to enjoy for very long -- just more water...Thank goodness we went up to Paris to Rétromobile yesterday and not today (report/s coming soon).