Sydney, Feb 7 (V7N) — A team of Australian reptile catchers has made a shocking discovery, unearthing a nest of 102 venomous snakes in a suburban backyard—surpassing even the famous children's tale 101 Dalmatians.

Cory Kerewaro and his team initially responded to reports of two red-bellied black snakes slithering through a pile of gardening mulch in Sydney. But what they found was far beyond their expectations.

“We thought we'd find maybe four or five adults at most,” Kerewaro told AFP on Friday. Instead, they pulled out dozens of baby snakes from the mulch.

“We stopped counting after a while,” he said.

By the time the team had bagged what they thought was their final haul, two of the captured females had given birth inside the bag—bringing the total to a staggering 102 snakes.

Kerewaro shared a photo of the writhing mass on social media, joking:

"101 Dalmatians? How about 102 redbellies!"

While red-bellied black snakes are not as deadly as some of Australia's other notorious serpents, their venom is still potent, capable of causing severe pain, nausea, and vomiting.

“They are a shy snake and will generally only deliver a serious bite under severe molestation,” according to the Australian Museum.

For seasoned reptile wranglers like Kerewaro, this was an unprecedented find.

"No one has been there at the right time and won the snake lottery," he said. "It was just the right time, right place for us."

Residents in the area have been advised to remain cautious, as it's peak snake season in Australia, with warmer temperatures drawing reptiles into urban environments.