Tragedy

[nuthn2do]

The Advertiser reported marks on the face of Erik Attmarsson were consistent with him being crushed to death by a snake

Personally I don't know who the reporter for the advertiser was, but it'd be safe to say they know squat about forensics or scrub pythons.

 

[bigguy]

Fuscus, they may not be banned now, but I can assure you they were 10 to 15 years ago after the bites. Any of the older herps like Matt Bonnett from this site can confirm this.

 

[URS]

Bigguy, Taipan were never banned from keeping here in SA.
Please have a read of this link it might be helpfull to anyone who is wanting to understand SA policy on keeping venomous snakes.

http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/pdfs/sop_keeping_venomous_snakes.pdf

Regards Tim

 

[moosenoose]

Re: RE: Re: RE: Tragedy

It is important that all of us a seen to be responsible and avoid situations where accidents are waiting to happen.

Spot on Daavid!

From what I've seen and heard, he was pretty full-on into the elapids. Perhaps he got a little too complacent with the Scrubbies? Having them scoot around the place uncaged sounds like a bit of a risky move ? considering they are an ambush predator! Then to be heavily drinking and alone alone with a snake that big can only be described as a disaster waiting to happen? I think sadly it?s a sad wake up call about the dangers that can arise from complacency.

I feel sorry for his friends and family and convey my deepest sympathies ? it?s an unnecessary and unfortunate accident. Hopefully it doesn't cause any knee-jerk reactions from the powers that be. Am I mistaken in saying that this would be the only recorded casualty related from a scrub python?

 

[Magpie]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Tragedy

I think the fact that this incident gets so many knee jerk responses from a herp site shows what sort of response we can expect from non-herpers (including the govt agencies responsible for herp laws).
Please people, wait for the autopsie at least before playing the blame game.

 

[angua21]

And dont forget a little shooting in Tasmania by one irresponsible fellow. Result all semi auto guns banned

:shock:

I think these are very different circumstances bigguy. I don't think too many people could argue the banning of those weapons in response to the port arthur massacre.

the circumstances are no different. there are irresponsible people in every walk of life who have a major impact on others who are careful/responsible just because of one lapse of judgement or mistake. Its the same as the licensing laws for L and P platers being changed due to some young fools driving beyond their abilities and killing themselves, or base jumping made illegal in alot of places because of a few idiots who didnt quite make it. There are so many laws that have come about through the stupidity, irresponsibility, carelessness or poor judgement of just a few people, all due to the massive blow out of proportions the media feeds to the(lets be honest) gullible general public. Are you saying that everyone who owned a semi automatic firearm was just waiting for an opportunity to go on a massacre? That everyone should be punished for the actions of one mentally ill criminal?

Propaganda comes in many forms on many topics and changes things way too fast when let run without a voice against. Lets all hope that it doesnt work against us in this instance, but denying the effect the media can have on the government over ANYTHING the public makes alot of noise about would be a mistake. Thinking that we as everyday people can't make a difference would also be a mistake. The thing about minorities is that they always feel that there arent enough of them. all it takes is a few voices making a stand for the rest of the affected party to realise that they are not the only ones, and if enough people are against something there at least has to be a discussion within the powers that be.

 

[Greebo]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Tragedy

Craig makes a good point. Who is to say that this isnt a feeding incident that went horribly wrong. There is nothing wrong in open discussion. This incident may have repercussions for us all but please let's not jump to conclusions.
This is an unusual tragedy and of course the media are going to have a field day with it. Hopefully they will soon move their attention on to something else. I have heard nothing further on the TV today.

 

[Linus]

the circumstances are no different

Really...

Ok so a weapon that is designed to kill and maim humans and animals is no different to a native python???

I don't know how you can realistically argue this point. This guy may have put him self in danger and bring the keeping of big pythons in to question (worst case) but I hardly think we can compare that to the brutal murder of 35 people.

Obviously you are a gun fan and that is fine but how does this relate to the keeping of reptiles. Surely that's just arguing for the sake of it.

In any case I apologise for gettin goff topic here...but had to reply.

 

[womas4me]

It was figurative speech, not literal, but the point is the same. The actions of an individual can effect the majority. Thats it.

 

[angua21]

thankyou womas, that was my point, which would have been gotten if my post had actually been read PROPERLY.

 

[Linus]

Yes agreed Womas and Angua. The actions of a person can affect a majority and I hope that is not the case in this instance. It his human nature to try and fix something when a porblem arises so it is difficult to avoid. Sometimes it helps us...eg safer cars, no dui, fire codes etc etc...and sometimes it hinders us. We just have to hope that the law makers can see through the haze and make the right decision.

But I still think a killing spree is a little different to this so it's a bad example...which was all I was trying to say in my reply to Bob.

I read your post properly Angua but your inital comment was that it's no different to Port Arthur and I think you would agree that is not entirely true.

 

[instar]

Its all speculation till the coroners report is in anyway. The scrubby/s in question may have constricted him after his death for all anyone knows, or not at all. Alcohol may or may not have been a factor, not to mention the guys vens. It seems a bit disrespectful for us to be arguing about his death at this point. Im sure the guys family and freinds would love to read this media induced gabfest....not! Poor bloke is gone either way, very sad. lets give it a rest till we know the facts atleast.

 

[salebrosus]

How many people are attacked by pit bulls and killed each year by various breeds of dogs??????????? How many people each year die from snake bites? I got mauled my a pit bull while using a public phone and ended up with the coin slot up my butt sitting on the phone with the dog cornering me in the booth while police had a gun out and were hitting it with capsicum spray. No bans yet.............

My condolensces to Eric and his family.

Simone.

 

[herptrader]

There are strong moves to restrict the ownership of Pit Bulls in Victoria if I recall correctly.

Also there are laws that see dangerous dogs put down.

How many people are attacked by pit bulls and killed each year by various breeds of dogs??????????? How many people each year die from snake bites? I got mauled my a pit bull while using a public phone and ended up with the coin slot up my butt sitting on the phone with the dog cornering me in the booth while police had a gun out and were hitting it with capsicum spray. No bans yet.............

My condolensces to Eric and his family.

Simone.

 

[instar]

Um, im not quite clear on how exactly you got the coin slot up ya butt Simone? please clarify? :lol:

....gal with a coin slot...hmmmm, theres a joke in that somewhere

 

[salebrosus]

Hehehehehhe when this dog grabbed me buy the back of the leg and shook i half feell and it let go, i turned around and it lunged at me so i kicked it in the head. it fell back and i jumped onto the payphone with one leg stuck on one side of the glass and the other on the other side high up. I called 000 from the payphone and this dog was only just missing me so unfortunately the most comfrotable way was for the lump where the coins go resting on my butt.

When the cops turned up they asked if i was ok. Personally, i think they liked seeing me so flexible. I kindly told em in choice words i wasn't and could they please shoot it. The moment that scared me the most was when the dog finished barking and lay down in the doorway of the booth and sat there glaring at me giving me a low growl. This thing had mange all over its neck and had already tried to attack somone that morning but had escaped the police the first time around.

Just lucky i wasnt a 6 year old kid. To be honest the only time i cried was after i had my tetanus shot.

Simone.

 

[instar]

So you didnt get "hung up" about the whole thing! :lol:

 

[alexr]

How many people are attacked by pit bulls

Well American Pit bulls appear to be banned now...(as of the 6pm news on Sydney Radio station TrippleM)

 

[Mcdowelli]

Here is an email from Peter Mirtschin, hopefully some of you who prefer to speculate about someones death might show some more respect.

The Death of Erik Attmarsson

We have been advised by the Nuriootpa police (Sgt. Bernadette Zimmermann),
that we will not be furnished with any information from the coroner's report
which means we will not learn the cause of death for some time, if ever.

We would like to correct some issues distributed by the media.

1. Generally pythons do not crush their victims as claimed in the Advertiser
2/05/05. This sensational reporting is highly misleading and unwarranted.
Pythons generally constrict their prey causing asphyxiation. Only in the
case of large pythons and very small prey items do any broken bones occur.


2. Snakes were never located outside Erik's place. There was an empty
aquarium on the veranda at some stage which was awaiting transfer elsewhere.


3. There were only 3 snakes kept by Erik. All were non-venomous. They
were 2 scrub pythons and 1 file snake.

4. As far as I know, snakes were never allowed free range of the house.

5. At times snakes had to be removed from their cages for management
reasons.

6. The incident was not a Venom Supplies Pty Ltd matter. Linking Venom
Supplies Pty Ltd by association is both misleading, mischievous and
unsympathetic to a small business that has spent years developing a good
reputation in a difficult field. At the time, we requested all media to
limit our exposure but it was not observed.

7. Efforts to film parts of our business from adjacent private properties
and from the front of our block were without any concern of the hurtfulness
it could cause in spite of our objection to it. The use of file footage,
photographs and statements linking our business was not authorized and was
without due concern for the hurt or damage it could do to our business.

8. Efforts to taint Erik's character by all Adelaide media was despicable.
Erik was a model employee with incredible knowledge. He was responsible in
all aspects of his work. He was a totally safe worker. He was highly
regarded at work and outside work and as a supervisor. He was
scientifically motivated. What he did in private was exactly that -
private.

9. At least one section of the media illegally broke into his house and
filmed within his house. They moved items around to suit their script. It
was a case of manufactured evidence.

10. It was myself and my wife who discovered the body after he failed to
arrive at work on Sunday. My wife became distraught and required
hospitalization. Our staff have been devastated by the matter and one has
required stress leave and medical supervision. The media did not respect
this and hounded us intensely on Sunday night and Monday.

11. A scrub python was noticed in the room just after the police arrived
and it was immediately placed back in its cage and later transferred to the
National Parks in the afternoon. There was never any threat of snakes loose
in the surrounding area. The Advertiser unnecessarily caused community
alarm in this regard. We had members of the local community ringing us
concerned that there was a large python on the loose.

12. At the point of writing this response, I still am unaware of the
official cause of death. All the media focus has been totally absorbed in
the python as the cause. It may well be the cause but surely waiting for
some official finding would have been prudent. In the absence of an
official finding is no excuse to manufacture a case.

13. The media always claim they have a responsibility to the public to
inform them. I have no problem with that. I believe they also have a
responsibility to be accurate and truthful and in this case it appears
little attempt was made to observe this principle.

14. I hope that there is some national media body that can investigate this
matter and take some action to limit the actions of the media in the future
to ensure they do not repeat such behavior. I also hope the media have a
long hard look at themselves and take some responsible action to achieve
more responsible reporting and behaviour.

Peter Mirtschin
Tanunda
South Australia

 

[herptrader]

I guess we will have to wait for the coroner's report before we really know what might have happened.

I doubt the media will have a lot to say about it if he just got a little drunk and fell down flat on his face causing an unlucky fatal injury.

I have a great dislike for how the media likes to "manufacture" news. (I refuse to watch/listen to commercial outlet current affairs programs as a result of this dislike.)