In the sun-baked suburbs of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and beyond, encounters with snakes are a fact of life. For many residents, the sighting of a slithering form triggers instant panic, visions of deadly eastern browns and red-bellied blacks. But for Dan Busstra, ‘Dan the Snake Catcher’, one of the region’s most respected reptile handlers, these moments represent something different: an opportunity for education, respect, and coexistence. Dan’s approach stands out in a con