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It would be good to get a quantity of these pythons in captivity before their numbers in the wild crash due to cane toad ingress into their habitat.
Awsome snake like the idea of the colour change thing that these pythons are supposed to do (someone correct me if I am mis-informed)???

Cheers
Octane
 
Correct me if I am wrong but the reason these are not permited to be collected (legally) is because the only area that they are found in is sacred aboriginal land.
 
Give them back to the original owner IMO, then in years to come legal ones would reach the hobby, they were doing fine til beaurocrats got hold of them

cheers
Scott
 
Cane toads are already in the areas that oenpellis exist. However they are mammal and bird feeders so the toads haven't had an affect on them.

It would be good to get a quantity of these pythons in captivity before their numbers in the wild crash due to cane toad ingress into their habitat.
Awsome snake like the idea of the colour change thing that these pythons are supposed to do (someone correct me if I am mis-informed)???

Cheers
Octane

No that's not the only reason. It isn't too hard to get permission from T/O's to collect things.

Correct me if I am wrong but the reason these are not permited to be collected (legally) is because the only area that they are found in is sacred aboriginal land.
 
Even the NT doesn't permit the collecting of animals in a random fashion, oenpelliensis does occur on Aboriginal lands, but appears to be in drastically reduced numbers as the years (and cane toads) march on. Weigel managed to convince the WA 'conservation authorities" to allow a legal take of RSPs, with spectacular results for the species in captivity, before the toads arrive... oenpelliensis may well be on the path to total extinction...

Jamie
 
What are you basing the 'drastically reduced numbers' statement on?

Even the NT doesn't permit the collecting of animals in a random fashion, oenpelliensis does occur on Aboriginal lands, but appears to be in drastically reduced numbers as the years (and cane toads) march on. Weigel managed to convince the WA 'conservation authorities" to allow a legal take of RSPs, with spectacular results for the species in captivity, before the toads arrive... oenpelliensis may well be on the path to total extinction...

Jamie
 
Have you come across many of these pythons Waruikazi? And can you give insight into the 'other reasons' why oenpelliensis cannot be collected to be established in the hobby?
 
The current status with these snakes is similar to the situation with the yellow heath monitor and the rough scaled python a few years ago- getting pairs into the hands of breeders. I was just looking for husbandry info from anyone who has some currently, or has had them in the past, not an inbox full of messages calling me a liar or offering to swap coastals for one. Thanks anyway.Now wheres that thread destruct button...

what is a 'yellow' heath monitor?
 
Surveys of the Arnhem land escarpment in recent years have reported plummeting numbers of all major vertebrates, and this largely preceded the arrival of Cane Toads. Of course oenpelliensis is a mammal/bird feeder as an adult, but like GTPs and others, the juvies are probably very fond of frogs. In any event, toads kill mammals ond birds, thus reducing the biomass, and availability of food for pythons.

The writings of John Woinarski (spelling - I'm at Mowanjum community near Derby WA as I write this...) and Greg Miles make compelling reading.

Western Australia is the only state that allows the collection of species to be 'established in the hobby."

Jamie.
 
Of course oenpelliensis is a mammal/bird feeder as an adult, but like GTPs and others, the juvies are probably very fond of frogs. In any event, toads kill mammals ond birds, thus reducing the biomass, and availability of food for pythons.
Well said Jamie. I was just about to argue that case re dietary preference of juveniles myself. Your point about the reduction of numbers of prey items available to the adults is a critical one.
Western Australia is the only state that allows the collection of species to be 'established in the hobby'.
I never thought that W.A would lead the way in any way regarding their fauna policies, but in this regard they are more advanced than the other states!:shock:
 
Cane toads are already in the areas that oenpellis exist. However they are mammal and bird feeders so the toads haven't had an affect on them.
...
What are you basing your statement on Waruikazi?
 
Young Oenpelli's would feed upon smaller reptiles and frogs, that grow into predominantly mammal and bird feeding adults. The population could be declining due to the young specimens feeding upon toads and little recruitment into the population, with mainly long lived adults in evidence around the rock escarpments. Without a research scientist out there collecting data we can only speculate, regardless of the convictions of some.
 
Surveys of the Arnhem land escarpment in recent years have reported plummeting numbers of all major vertebrates, and this largely preceded the arrival of Cane Toads. Of course oenpelliensis is a mammal/bird feeder as an adult, but like GTPs and others, the juvies are probably very fond of frogs. In any event, toads kill mammals ond birds, thus reducing the biomass, and availability of food for pythons.

The writings of John Woinarski (spelling - I'm at Mowanjum community near Derby WA as I write this...) and Greg Miles make compelling reading.

Western Australia is the only state that allows the collection of species to be 'established in the hobby."

Jamie.

I have read some of Woinarski's papers that relate to west arnhem land and i have not found any citation that states that oenpelli's numbers are in decline. If you have a paper that states that they are i would love to know about it. Woinarski states that the species is vunerable but does not attribute it to toads, infact he says it is more likely due to their specific habitat, changed fire regimes and paoching.

Have you come across many of these pythons Waruikazi? And can you give insight into the 'other reasons' why oenpelliensis cannot be collected to be established in the hobby?

No i haven't come across any. I've only been in Oenpelli for 6 months and for the majority of it we've been cut off by flood waters. The name Oenpelli is a bit of a misnomer, they may turn up occasionally on the outskirts of the area but they do not 'live' in oenpelli. We are where the flood plain and escarpment country meet, which i think makes for less than ideal country for them. Hunting pressure on large macropods and other mammals along with senseless killing of snakes i think has driven them out of the area if they ever really were here.

The NT gov does allow the collection of animals to be sold into the pet trade. Permits can be obtained from parks and wildlife if you fulfill the required criterea. Thats how David Reed makes his living and think about all the wild caught animals that come out of the NT.

What are you basing your statement on Waruikazi?

I'm basing MY statement on the readings i have done on oenpellis and snakes in general along with my own meandering experience. My own experience has shown me that snakes that do not eat frogs as adults generally will not eat them as juvies. To top that off, even frog specialists such as GTS and slatey greys are still around the NT in their appropriate habitats despite the toads (but i will concede that i have found one case of a slatey eating a toad, however it did not die.) The only snakes that i have seen take a significant hit in numbers across the top end with the advance of toads were the death adders and mulgas.

Oenpellis and cane toads have different habitats, one of them cannot live on rocky escarpment plateus. Also the traditional owners of the escarpment country in Arnhem Land tell me that they are still around in good numbers, seriously who would know best?

Young Oenpelli's would feed upon smaller reptiles and frogs, that grow into predominantly mammal and bird feeding adults. The population could be declining due to the young specimens feeding upon toads and little recruitment into the population, with mainly long lived adults in evidence around the rock escarpments. Without a research scientist out there collecting data we can only speculate, regardless of the convictions of some.

Reptiles yes, frogs no, toads even more no. Especially considering that many of the frogs that live on the flood plains in our area are poisonous, very few snakes eat them. But you are right in saying that the estimations of population size comes from adult animals and not from the young. BUT for the population to sustain istself, each animal in its entire life only has to replace itself once to keep the population in the same numbers.

Folks i am all for the conservation of this species, but the argument that they need to be brought into captivity to help save them from extiction does not wash because they are not under any immediate threat. I think making them available to the public could increase paoching pressure which would have a negative impact on their numbers.

(It's late and i haven't proof read this post, i'm sorry if i ahve made any mistakes.)
 
I am with Gordo on this one. I have friends who used to live up there that found adults around the Oenpelli area after the toads became established in the NT. I am yet to hear/read about anything that suggests these guys numbers are dropping due to the presence of toads.

I agree that perhaps bringing them into captivity would give motive for poaching, this would possibly be detrimental to the population.
 
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Last edited by nathancl; Today at 11:35 PM. Reason: brain functionality
Mate I LOL when I caught sight of that edit note, must be the time of night when all our brains turn fuzzy
 
Well said Jamie. I was just about to argue that case re dietary preference of juveniles myself. Your point about the reduction of numbers of prey items available to the adults is a critical one.
I never thought that W.A would lead the way in any way regarding their fauna policies, but in this regard they are more advanced than the other states!:shock:

I'm sure it was more by accident than design :D
 
Nice piece of country your living in their Gordo The Oenpelli community pool is is one of the best swims I have taken.
Is a pilot by the name of Tony still posted out there.
 
I am wondering why there seems to be a minimal amount of field work having been done with this species. If there is field work currently being done does anyone know who is conducting it? And where I can track down past papers on the Oenpelli Python?
 
I would treat any reported sightings of oenpellis by anyone sceptically especially if they say they have found them around the oenpelli community. I know people who've lived here for years and knowing what they are looking for still haven't found any and i think it is because of the reasons i've said above, lack of prey, unsuitable habitat and a fear of snakes. But i wouldn't say anything is impossible!

I am with Gordo on this one. I have friends who used to live up there that found adults around the Oenpelli area after the toads became established in the NT. I am yet to hear/read about anything that suggests these guys numbers are dropping due to the presence of toads.

I agree that perhaps bringing them into captivity would give motive for poaching, this would possibly be detrimental to the population.

The first and last time i was at the pool there was a poo floating around in it because some half wit hippy let all the local kids in. Besides, humans are land animals i don't get this fascination with getting back in the water... We have lungs and limbs for god sake! Tony... If it is the right fella i'm thinking of i think he just moved back to the community cause one pilot got the sack (he crashed the plane lol).

Nice piece of country your living in their Gordo The Oenpelli community pool is is one of the best swims I have taken.
Is a pilot by the name of Tony still posted out there.

I am wondering why there seems to be a minimal amount of field work having been done with this species. If there is field work currently being done does anyone know who is conducting it? And where I can track down past papers on the Oenpelli Python?

There is alot of red tape to get through to work on indigenous land, i know the T/O of a good of the escarpment country and he really doesn't like parks and wildllife so i don't think he goes out of his way to help them out lol. Also the land can pretty well only be accessed by foot and only during the dry season which would make expeditions expensive and pretty difficult.
 
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