Snake catcher Lockie Gilding was stoked to find this mother carpet python at a Buderim home on December 2, as well as her clutch of eggs.

Lockie explained that the carpet python was seen basking in the sunshine each day, before slithering over to a corner of the neighbouring garden and disappearing into a pile of mulch and leaves. He was called to check out the situation.

“I started slowly peeling apart the pile (which was due to go to the dump the very next day) and sure enough we found her tightly coiled around her eggs,” he said.

“After gently removing her from her eggs she was safely released into some nearby rainforest. Her eggs were placed in an incubator.” Credit: Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 via Storyful