Our first trip to Dryandra was not completely fruitless. On the final leg of our hike, just as we were about to leave the forest for the car-park I spied this "little" guy. I think the primarily nocturnal reptile was trying to escape the heat.
The non-venomous Carpet Python is named for their beautiful markings. Their color and pattern vary greatly. Eastern populations are pale or dark brown to olive-green, with irregular dark-edged cream to pale yellowish blotches. Other populations can be grey or reddish with darker blotches.
The medium-sized python can grow up to 3.6 meters (12 feet) in length and with up to 15 kilograms. The average adult measures 2.4 meters (8 feet) long.
Their diet consists of a variety of birds, bats lizards, and small mammals. They kill their prey by constricting it until it suffocates. They are often the largest predator in their ecological community.
You can find carpet pythons in heavily timbered areas from Western Australia through the top Northern Territory, though to the eastern states. They like to hide among leaf litter in tree hollows, logs and rocky crevices.
If you find yourself in Dryandra in search of numbats you may want to take care because even though the Carpet Python is not venomous they can give a painful bite.
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Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee... can hardly believe you stayed calm enough to take that photo. My hands would be shaking too much in your place. Or, rather, I'd just run away as fast as I can from anywhere near the/a snake! ;S
ReplyDeleteYSTL, I had no idea that there are pythons in WA so I was surprised and really excited. If it had been moving I probably would have run away!
ReplyDeleteOoohh.. you got to see a carpet python. I had heard of people seeing them hiking the Margaret River area. Part of me would have loved to see one but yet I'm pretty scared of snakes. I think it was too cool when we were there. Fortunately. :)
ReplyDeleteMarta, I had no idea that there were pythons in Western Australia, so it came as a real surprise. Now that I know they are around I think I'll be less likely to snoop around looking for interesting critters!
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