The Savannahlander meets a Carpet Python.

A couple of years ago, as we were just on the outskirts of Mareeba, this whopper of a Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) was minding it's own business, basking in the sun across the track. After stopping the Savannahlander, I was so sure that I was going to find pieces of Python writhing all over the line but instead, this gorgeous specimen was still in one piece. This Carpet Python is definitely the biggest of it's species that I have ever encountered in Far North Queensland. Not to be confused with the Scrub Python, aka Amethystine Python (Simalia kinghorni) which regularly reaches lengths of 5 m. Coastal Carpet Pythons in FNQ usually average around 2 m long. Although I didn't measure this one, it had to be at least 2.5 m long and about 10-15 kgs in weight. Considering that this snake started life at 30cm long somewhere between 10-20 years ago, it has done an amazing job at surviving in the wild so to meet it's end due to a train would be a tragedy. After a health check (I'm looking for broken bones, torn skin, bruising, bleeding from the mouth and/or cloaca, abnormalities in the body shape, etc.) to confirm it hadn't been injured, it was time to send this Coastal Carpet back into the savannah and on it's way. In the couple of years since, I haven't seen that particular individual again. Hopefully it learnt a lesson that day. Don't bask on train tracks! PS. A massive thanks to Leigh for capturing some footage and making the video for me.

Видео The Savannahlander meets a Carpet Python. автора Мастер-класс по программированию ботов