Harsh Criticism Online

Bizarre “Rescue” of a Snake from a Garden Habitat

The well-intentioned rescue mission to remove the grass snake from its natural habitat has sparked a heated debate.(Bild: FF Felixdorf)

In a panic, garden owners in Felixdorf, Lower Austria, called the fire department for help because of a harmless grass snake. However, this “rescue” of the snake from its natural habitat sparked “biting” criticism online.

The homeowners in question clearly have little “understanding of nature,” as the snake’s perfectly normal slithering in the water apparently terrified them so much that they alerted the local fire department. The fire department quickly arrived on the scene that morning with a few crew members. The responders snatched the likely just as frightened, beneficial snake from its damp home, stuffed it into a bag—and promptly headed off to the nearby Felixdorf floodplain. May the completely non-venomous Natrix natrix—as it’s known by its zoological Latin name—hide away in the undergrowth and other wetland habitats.

“Shitstorm” on Facebook
The well-intentioned animal rescue sparked a “snake storm” on Facebook. “What did the snake need to be saved from? Drowning?” one reader posted under the article. Another user asked the garden owners to “use their brains first” and educate themselves—or just move into an apartment.

The well-intentioned rescue mission to remove the grass snake from its natural habitat sparked a heated debate.(Bild: FF Felixdorf)

Criticism was also directed at the “unnecessary fire department response.” In defense of the firefighters, who were on the scene for 30 minutes: They had no way of knowing whether an exotic snake, such as an anaconda or a python, had actually slipped into the water.

The snake was “rescued” from the biotope.(Bild: FF Felixdorf)

No reason to remove the animal
“Wildlife calls have been on the rise lately. This is because rare wildlife is reclaiming its habitat, especially in the ever-increasing number of natural gardens,” explains Dr. Gerhard Heilingbrunner, honorary president of the Environmental Umbrella Organization, from the “snake”-idyllic Yspertal. In any case, the Guntramsdorf Fire Department has thoroughly examined the issue and is asking whether a snake in the garden really always has to be a case for the fire department.

In any case, there’s no reason to panic, and there’s actually no reason to remove the animal from its habitat. The firefighters also emphasize the usefulness of grass snakes and their kind: they prey on rats, mice, and other unwanted pests.