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Snake sighting @ Piddo

dave h.

27-Jul-2010
10:53:42 PM

Hi all,

two things:

1) On 15th July I saw what I'm pretty sure was a broadheaded snake @ the top of Tombstone Wall at Mt Piddington. It slithered across the little track which leads to the Angular Crack rap station. My second had headed across a few minutes ago, and I was about to follow him over when I noticed it in my way.

So if you're climbing Tombstone Wall or any routes at Piddo that descend via Angular Crack you might want to keep your eyes peeled...

2) Does anyone have a GR or GPS coordinates for Tombstone Wall? Or know Piddo well enough to be able to get them from Google Earth? Pretty please? Otherwise I've got a fun look @ a topo and a guidebook coming up...

citationx

28-Jul-2010
8:58:17 AM

Hey dave, just interested in knowing your need for the GPS coordinates?
With ever increasing amounts of information appearing in the world that we never really needed before I'm interested to know what i'm missing out on :-)
-s-

mikepatt

28-Jul-2010
9:07:44 AM

The was a broad headed snake in residence at the top of the first pitch of The Eternity (AKA Yorkshire Crack) a few years ago at Piddo

MonkeyBoy

28-Jul-2010
9:42:31 AM

Just because I am not a native ( UK Born) and I am intending to go back and climb at piddo as soon as a bit of a shoulder injury clears up - Whats the significance of a broad headed snake ? Does this mean its bad ?

egosan

28-Jul-2010
9:59:44 AM

Broad-Headed snakes are an endangered species only found in the Sydney Basin. They are venomous; however, not lethal. Just painful. If you meet one, leave it alone, even if it means retreating from a climb. If you go messing with one and get bit. You deserved it. Take a picture of the snake and go get the anti-venom from the hospital. St. Patrick was an arsehole.

http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=1182

Wow, google is cool!

nmonteith

28-Jul-2010
10:00:59 AM

It bites and it's venomous. Certainly not the worst Australia has to offer, but probably still quite dangerous.

kuu

28-Jul-2010
10:04:00 AM

On 28/07/2010 MonkeyBoy wrote:

> Whats the significance of a broad headed snake ? Does this mean its bad ?

...........................................................................

Hoplocephalus bungaroides — Broad-headed Snake

LEGAL STATUS:
In New South Wales: Listed as Endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

DESCRIPTION:
The Broad-headed Snake is black above with numerous bright yellow scales forming a series of irregular, narrow cross-bands. The belly is grey to grey-black, sometimes with yellow blotches. The head also has yellow blotches and the labials are barred yellow. It grows to a maximum length of 90 cm, however its average length is 60 cm (Cogger 2000).

Source:
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=1182
...........................................................................

This snake is venomous but likely to be more interested in its small reptile prey than you unless, that is, you mess with it (as with most snakes). Its preferred habitat is west or north-west facing areas often close to cliff tops. Not known to occur on/near east facing cliffs.

MonkeyBoy

28-Jul-2010
10:06:55 AM

Cool Cool - Thanks for that

MonkeyBoy

28-Jul-2010
10:08:50 AM

Just had alook at some images on google it looks scary even if it isn' the MOST dagerous i think I would still take a lead fall over getting any closer than I absolutly have to

egosan

28-Jul-2010
10:13:43 AM

Maybe you are on to something, MonkeyBoy. A new method for getting comfortable with lead falls? Might have to marry the therapy with some PTSD treatment for optimal results.

peterc

28-Jul-2010
10:14:07 AM

On 28/07/2010 MonkeyBoy wrote:
>Just because I am not a native ( UK Born) and I am intending to go back
>and climb at piddo as soon as a bit of a shoulder injury clears up - Whats
>the significance of a broad headed snake ? Does this mean its bad ?

They're endangered, so please don't step on it.

The broad headed snake is venomous, and carries a neurotoxin and a pro-coagulant that can supposedly cause serious illness, but last I heard, it hadn't caused any fatalities.

As an aside, I once knew a Kiwi girl who moved to Australia and was confronted by all our deadly creatures. After much worrying, she decided to classify all Australian animals into two categories:

- Animal type 1 will kill you
- Animal type 2 will give you a bit of a nip.

However you want to classify the broad headed snake, I wouldn't go poking it with anything.

rodw

28-Jul-2010
10:48:37 AM

They have been known to be mistaken for a diamond python but the main difference is the broad headed snake is smaller ie around 60-90cm at maturity....so if you see a "small" diamond python...give it a wide berth.....though they are not agressive and you would have to be stiring it up a bit to get bit.

They tend to live off the ground on rock ledges and cravases so not surprising TBH if you see one but more often then not you probably passing many without even realising.

dave h.

28-Jul-2010
11:18:27 PM

Hey Steve,

that night I was flipping through the 2007 guide and saw a picture which resembled the snake I saw. It told me it was a Broadheaded snake, and that sightings should be reported to a particular phone number.

They were interested and asked me to fill out a form (details of sighting etc including location as GR).

So really you're missing out on optional government paperwork... If you feel left out I can forward you the form :P

rodw

29-Jul-2010
7:13:38 AM

Yeah then the crag becomes known has habitat for endangered species and climbing banned..lol

There are 14 messages in this topic.