SNAKES OF ADELAIDE AND THE ADELAIDE HILLS
What follows is an introduction to the snake species found in the Greater Adelaide region.
Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis)
Eastern Brown Snake. Photo credit: Harry Jones.
DANGEROUS. Eastern Browns are the most common snake species in the Greater Adelaide region. Brown snakes (there are several species around Australia) are responsible for most bite fatalities in this country. They can grow up to around two metres long but are typically up to half that size around Adelaide.
The scientific genus for the brown snakes, ‘Pseudonaja’, translates to ‘False Cobra’, in relation to it’s familiar threat posturing of flattering out its neck and rearing up.
Despite the name ‘brown snakes’ can be several other colours such as shades of brown, orange, completely black, and can also be banded. Juvenile brown snakes generally have dark head with a black band behind the neck.
Juvenile Eastern Brown. Photo credit: Harry Jones.
Little Whip Snake (Suta flagellum)
Little Whip Snake. Photo credit: Connor Margetts.
These small nocturnal snakes grow to around 45cm and hunt small lizards. Although they are in the same family as the brown snakes, Little Whip Snakes are considered harmless to humans.
They are often mistaken for juvenile Eastern Brown Snakes and the two species can also share hiding spots together. The Little Whip Snake differs from the Juvenile Eastern Brown by having a broader, less conical-shaped head and lacking the neck band of the Juvenile Eastern Brown.
Legless Lizards (Family: Pygopodidae)
An honorable mention to these snake-mimicking near-limbless geckos, known as Pygopodids, legless lizards or flap-footed lizards. Australia has close to 50 species. Check out our video above showing the largest species of Australian legless lizards, the Southern Scaly-foot.
Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus)
Tiger Snake. Photo credit: Connor Margetts.
Dangerous. Considered vulnerable in the region with historic sightings occurring around Woodside, Verdun and Balhannah.
Red-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
Red-bellied Black Snake. Photo Credit: Connor Margetts.
DANGEROUS. These beautiful snakes are glossy black, typically with bright red or orange underparts. They can grow to around 1.8m and lack a well-defined neck. They are commonly found along watercourses and wetlands but also in woodlands and grasslands. They feed on fish, tadpoles, frogs, snakes, birds and small mammals. They will even eat members of their own species.
Pygmy Copperhead (Austrelaps labialis)
Pygmy Copperhead. Photo Credit: Connor Margetts.
These shy venomous snakes are only found in the southern Mt Lofty Ranges and on neighboring Kangaroo Island. They can grow to between 50-100cm with some records reaching 1.2m. They are dark brown to black with cream-colored underparts and distinctive white vertical lines on the labial (lip) scales. They inhabit swamps, waterways, grasslands and woodlands, feeding on reptiles and frogs.
These snakes are listed as ‘Vulnerable‘ on the IUCN Red List. We are proud to provide habitat for these beautiful animals on our private piece of remnant bushland (AAHQ) in Mylor.
Blind Snakes (Family:Typhlopidae)
Dark-spined Blind Snake (Anilios bicolor). Photo credit: Connor Margetts.
There are a couple of species of blind snakes in the northern and eastern parts of the southern Mt Lofty Ranges. These worm-like burrowing snakes are completely harmless but can release a foul odour from their anal glands if handled. They feed on ants and termites and do sometimes surface, typically on warm nights and after rain.
Prong-snouted Blind Snake (Anilios bituberculatus). Photo credit: Connor Magetts.