Footage has captured the moment a snake served as a makeshift life-raft for frogs and mice amid severe floods in Australia.
Several videos posted to TikTok by carleen2332 showed a brown snake floating in a garden tank full of floodwater. A bizarre group of animals, including mice, frogs, and insects, can be seen perched on the snake, using it as a float.
In recent days, major floods have impacted areas from Queensland to New South Wales. As well as rising rivers, stormwater has interfered with the sewage systems, causing pipes to overflow.
Over the weekend, residents of Queensland were warned to stay home, with flood levels projected to reach record highs. The Sunshine Coast region has been particularly affected, with meteorologists predicting floods will continue to affect the area over the next few days.
One of the videos posted to TikTok, which can be seen here, has had over 2 million views, and shows the snake motionless, floating in the floodwater, as two mice and a frog cling to its body. The video is captioned "only in Australia."
Another video, which can be seen here, begins with the animals perched on the snake's body before it starts rapidly swimming through the water. A frog and one of the mice fall off, while another mouse struggles to keep its balance.
The camera then pans to the side of the tank, where frogs are struggling to climb out of the water.
Snake-catching business Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 reposted the video on Facebook and urged everyone in Australia to "stay safe" during the floods.
"During floods, people and animals work together," the post said. "Help out your neighbors, check in on friends and if you see any wildlife in need please give us a call or your local wildlife rescue unit. We are here to help! Keep an eye out for Sea Snakes on our beaches as well, we have already rescued a handful over the last 24 hours!"
The snake catching business said all animals in these videos were rescued and released back into the wild.
It is not the first strange wildlife encounter caused by the floods.
In Sydney, a large fish was found in an overflowing drain, 9 miles from the ocean, Mail Online reported. It is thought the animal was carried to the area by the floods, perhaps from the nearby Parramatta River. Its exact species remains a mystery, but many believed it was a type of shark.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
