#54 Eastern Brown Snakes in the Hunter Valley

The highly venomous Eastern Brown Snake is not my favourite creature of the bush, but I feel these misunderstood reptiles deserve a bit of support. In my part of the Hunter Valley, they are dispatched with shovels, roles of hose, moving vehicles, and goodness knows by what other means.

I saw my first living snake of the season last week -

a fine specimen of Eastern Brown sunning itself

Yes, the Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) is venomous; potentially fatal - but only if a person is bitten. Most bites occur as a result of a person threatening the snake. A snake will generally go out of its way to avoid humans, but humans have created habitat that is to the liking of the snake, hence, humans and snakes will occasional cross paths.

A Brown Snake finds refuge in a roadside

telecommunications pit

The Common or Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) varies in colour from yellowish brown, brown, reddish brown, greyish brown to almost black. Juveniles bear a black blotch on the head and a black band on the nape of the neck, (and in some areas, prominent narrow black bands on the body).

Habitat: This snake is widespread through subhumid to arid eastern Australia, occupying almost all habitats except rainforests or wet sclerophyll forests and alpine areas.

Land clearing has apparently proven beneficial, as brown snakes seem to be most abundant in agricultural regions. The Eastern Brown Snake is the snake I encounter most (although, still rarely) in the rural area of the Hunter Valley where I live.

The Eastern Brown Snake well camouflaged . . . . .

. . . . . and another well hidden Eastern Brown Snake

eyes off the photographer (me)

Breeding: Clutches of 10 to 30 eggs have been recorded; laid in late spring. A litter may contain both banded and unbanded individuals. Eggs hatch after about eighty days, and hatchlings measure about 27cm. When nesting, this snake utilises any available cover, but is particularly fond of man-made cover such as sheets of metal.

Habits: The Eastern Brown Snake is diurnal (although sometimes nocturnal in hot weather). It relies on keen vision to locate prey which can consist of mammals, birds, lizards, and occasionally other snakes.

The abundance in rural areas is probably due to the presence of numerous introduced mice and rats which provide a valuable food source.

Eastern Brown Snakes are extremely swift, alert and nervous; quick to retaliate if provoked, readily adopting a defensive stance raising its forebody in an S-shape, hissing loudly and striking repeatedly. I have never observed this defensive behaviour, but I have seen it remain motionless in an effort to remain hidden, and flee swiftly.

Ref: "Australian Reptiles - A Photographic Reference to the Terrestrial Reptiles of Australia" by Stephen K. Wilson and David G. Knowles.

Ref: "Australian Reptiles and Frogs" by Raymond T. Hoser.

An unusual sight: an Eastern Brown and a Red-bellied Black (Pseudechis porphyriacus) sharing living space after being washed from winter shelters during the June 2007 Hunter River flood.

A dead juvenile Eastern Brown Snake with

distinctive head markings

I don't normally feature images of dead animals, but many of the snake road-kills in my area are deliberate killings - unnecessary, and often cruel.



I encounter very few snakes during my normal day to day activities in rural Hunter Valley, but following the June 2007 flood, Eastern Brown Snakes and Red-bellied Black Snakes were washed from their winter hides on the river bank opposite my home. I had a fabulous opportunity to observe them.

I also witnessed unnecessary cruelty from humans. Sections of a previous post, I feel, are worth repeating:

If people find a snake inside their home or workplace, wildlife aid people or NPWS should be able to offer advice as to who to contact to have the snake removed and relocated safely. Rural people who encounter snakes would be wise to give the snake space to move on.

Regardless of size or venom toxicity, all species avoid confrontations with humans whenever possible and must be trodden on or otherwise harassed before they resort to biting in self-defense. The primary function of venom is to subdue prey, not to attack animals too large to be consumed.

An Eastern Brown Snake basking in the sun

It is not only unnecessarily violent and heartless to kill snakes, but it is illegal. Snakes are protected. If we hold a healthy respect for these animals, along with a commonsense approach, we can live in the same locality without incident. After all, it is we humans who are invading and changing the snakes' environment, not vice versa.

Note: My journal blog Snippets and Sentiments has evolved into mainly entries telling of my daily rambles amongst nature, which might be of interest to those who visit this nature blog.