Page 85 - Port Douglas Magazine 31
P. 85

MEET A LOCAL








                               BRYDI E MAR O



                                  PORT DOUGLAS’S MRS DOOLITTLE...
                                            OR RATHER DOO A LOT!





                                                                                                        A
            WORDS by Rosie Wang
            It’s hard to know where to start on an article   BRYDIE THE SNAKE
            about  Brydie  Maro.  Certainly,  Leonardo  Da   WRANGLER                      Q &
            Vinci and the  Renaissance  would  have
                                               From a young age Brydie wanted a pet snake.
            embraced her ‘as one of their own’.  A multi-
                                               Finally, after continually nagging her parent’s
            talented, ground-breaking inspiration of a
                                               “no’s” turned to a resigned  “ok”. After being
            woman, whose accomplishments are many
                                               approved for a licence, Brydie’s first pet snake   If you see a snake what should you do?
            and are limited only by the  “pigeonholed”
                                               (one of many), a python called Striker became
            terms they are referred to.                                                Keep  your  distance,  do  not  approach  it,
                                               the new scaly member of the family. From
            As an electrician, she was  the first female  in                           more than likely it will move away and you
                                               having Striker Brydie’s thirst for knowledge to
            Australia employed as a line worker.  Her other                            can both carry on with your day in peace. If
                                               learn all about her new pet was unquenchable.
            hats encompass snake handler, wildlife rescuer                             concerned contact a qualified snake handler.
                                               She worked closely with vets to learn more and
            and carer, artist, and last, but in no way least, a                        What do you do with the ones you catch?
                                               this organically involved her helping with snake
            mother to her 11-year-old daughter, Lani.  rescues. To be able to help in an official capacity   Brydie checks for injuries and on their overall
            I visited Brydie at her house in Mossman where   she trained and worked as a reptile coordinator   health.  If healthy, they are released in a safe
            she lives with her dog Raia, rescued baby bush   with the Wildlife Information Rescue Service. It   area away from human habitation.  If injured,
            stone curlew “Emu” and an assortment of snakes   wasn’t long before Brydie was tackling Eastern   she administers first aid and/or veterinary
            including  ‘Hannah Lector’ (previously named   Brown snakes in NSW (the world’s fourth most   treatment for serious injuries.
            ‘Hannibal Lector’ until she was correctly sexed).    venomous snake).
                                                                                       Are snakes more active or seen more in
            She is such a modern-day St. Francis that even                             certain months in the Tropics?
                                                BRYDIE THE WILDLIFE CARER
            the local bush turkeys are remodelling her
                                                                                       In spring and summer, as they get active for
            backyard as a nesting area.        Here in Far North Queensland in Douglas Shire
                                                                                       breeding and feeding.
                                               Brydie is a registered volunteer snake wrangler.
               BRYDIE THE ELECTRICIAN                                                  Also, be mindful that snakes and other
                                               She also has a permit to care for snakes as some
            Brydie was born in Cairns Base Hospital and   she wrangles are pet snakes that wouldn’t survive   wildlife may be found in higher numbers on
            then moved to Illawarra on the NSW coast as a   in the wild.    With the nearest anti-venom   roads.  Especially at night please keep an eye
            young girl. It was there as a child growing up that   facility being in Cairns, handling taipans, death   out at night for wildlife on roads and try and
            she spent her happiest times with her ‘Poppy’ on   adders, red bellied black snakes keeps her on top   avoid collision.
            projects involving rebuilding and servicing cars   of her game (and alive!).  How much does a Snake Handler charge?
            and trailers. Her love of what makes things work
                                               Her love of all animals has now encompassed   Brydie does not charge anything for catching
            and electrics started there.
                                               her taking in birds and she has nursed back to   or rescuing snakes or wildlife.
            Straight from school she was employed as an   health grass owls, fig birds, sun birds, welcome
                                                                                       Any donations received are put towards
            apprentice electrician. She enjoyed climbing   swallows and her favourite, curlews. She cites
                                                                                       medical supplies, food, and housing the
            up power poles (no cherry pickers in those   curlews as smart, compassionate, intelligent and,
                                                                                       wildlife.
            days) and fixing the overhead lines and was the   despite  putting on an aggressive show when
            only female at that time doing this. Her area   guarding their nest, ‘they are all front’. Her latest
            of expertise spread as she became an electrical   patient is “Emu” who was found as a very young   And of course the number we should have
            fitter, electrical mechanic, electrical cable joiner,   chick and who is thriving under her expert   on speed dial in times of need
            line worker, electrical engineer and achieving an   care. Brydie has no funding for her care work
                                                                                       0423 640 209 Brydie
            electrical contractors licence.    and it can cost up to $400 alone to rear a bird
                                               from hatchling to surviving adult ensuring it
                 BRYDIE THE MOTHER                                                     Brydie is a herpetologist and ornithologist of
                                               has the specific food it needs from a specialised
                                                                                       27 years specialising in disease and injury
            Destiny was playing its part with a job transfer   supplier.  The commitment of an ornithologist
                                                                                       management of Australian reptiles and birds.
            to Townsville and then to Cairns which took her   and herpetologist.
                                                                                       If  you  would  like  to  contribute  to  her  work
            full circle back to her birthplace.  With the birth   I was nearing  the end  of the interview when
            of her daughter, Lani (Hawaiian name meaning                               find her Go Fund Me page “Brydie’s QLD
                                               the sound of an engine pulled up.   She said,   Wildlife Rescue.”
            “Sky”) in Cairns Base Hospital the circle was
                                               “Got  to  go,  I’m  heading  to  the Tablelands  to
            complete.
                                               search for taipans”. Certainly not a standard
            Along with being a mother she continued to   reply to “What are you doing this weekend?”. 
            work to keep her electricians licence updated   And with that, the woman who would put a
            and  current, switching  from  nappy  changing   dynamo bunny to shame, disappeared to spend
            one minute to electrical wire changing the next.   a weekend hunting a snake with the most toxic
            She still continues today to be a mother and   venom in the world.
            owner of BME Electrical, a successful electrical
            contracting business.
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