coastal taipan distribution

[beatlloydy]

Is the lack of them appearing in SEQ due primarily to habitat destruction or is something that has always been the case?...i.e usually found in more tropical localities...btw...the snakehandler course instructer (I went on his course late last year) there reported of sightings in nthn NSW (around Grafton)...why would this gap exist (i.e sightings in Nth NSW but limited in SEQ)?

 

[shlanger]

Greetings all, I recall David Fleay telling me that Coastal Tai's occured as far south as the Clarence River in Northern N.S.W.

 

[blakehose]

Is the lack of them appearing in SEQ due primarily to habitat destruction or is something that has always been the case?...i.e usually found in more tropical localities...btw...the snakehandler course instructer (I went on his course late last year) there reported of sightings in nthn NSW (around Grafton)...why would this gap exist (i.e sightings in Nth NSW but limited in SEQ)?

I have no idea of the terrain around these areas - though are there any significant geographical factors that could contribute to the seperation? ie Mountain ranges. Such things can result in allopatric speciation - which isn't the case here but interesting none the less. Maybe the conditions even though they are close, contrast enough to cause a split.

 

[eipper]

Taipans are in the mountain ranges, its seems that the topography is not as much as an issue. They are nervous alert snakes by nature...this tends to mean that most people don't see them...including herps!

Cheers,
Scott

 

[blakehose]

Taipans are in the mountain ranges, its seems that the topography is not as much as an issue. They are nervous alert snakes by nature...this tends to mean that most people don't see them...including herps!

Cheers,
Scott

Thanks for the info Scott - where have you previously found specimens yourself?

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Is the lack of them appearing in SEQ due primarily to habitat destruction or is something that has always been the case?...i.e usually found in more tropical localities...btw...the snakehandler course instructer (I went on his course late last year) there reported of sightings in nthn NSW (around Grafton)...why would this gap exist (i.e sightings in Nth NSW but limited in SEQ)?

A species will only occur in the correct habitat throughout its distribution. A lot of people will see a distribution map and assume that that particular species will occur everywhere within that area, when in actual fact, it will only occur in its preferred habitat.

Coastal Taipans prefer well drained, grassy slopes and never stray more than a few kilometres from the base of mountains. This is one of the reasons why they are quite common in cane fields - the cane is planted on the flats between mountains.

I am only making reference to what I consider confirmed sightings - either confirmed with a photograph, museum specimen, or by someone with considerable experience. There are lots of anecdotal reports of Taipans turning up all over the place, but a lot of it is wishful thinking rather more than anything.

 

[garthy]

G'day guys,

I don't want to call anybody a liar, but I have a keen interest in Coastal Taipans, especially those that occur in SEQ.

VDK's can give false positives - it has happened before. I wouldn't trust it 100% especially when it comes up with something quite rare.

Localities for SEQ include Canungra, Dundas, Fernvale, Lacey's Creek, Kin Kin and Coolum Beach. They are incredibly rare snakes in SEQ - I have searched for over 8 years now, in all of the spots, including exact GPS marks, and have yet to turn one up. A lot of the records are 25+ years old and would represent the last of now locally extinct populations. Very few have been recorded in the last 15 years.

I have the same issue here in the Muswellbrook region with Tiger snakes. I have performed hundreds of rescues/relocations of vens, many of them reported to be tigers.
Not one tiger snake in over 13 yrs. Other relocators swear that they have caught notechis, I have begged them for proof and nothing has been forthcoming. A man was bitten on the golf course and was treated with polyvalent antivenom, suspected to be tigersanke bite, yeah rite! The densest (is this a word?) population of tigers exists at the headwater (beginning) of Pol Blue in the Barington Tops, I hav witnessed tigers in their dozens in close proximity here but never further down the valley.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day Garthy,

Thanks for your insight. Unfortunately modern snake catchers are often regarded as authorities on the subject, but a lot aren't (sorry snakecatchers out there...but if you're on here, chances are you don't fall into that category). I remember a thread on here a few years ago from a newly permitted snake catcher in Ipswich asking if the snake he just caught was an Eastern Brown or Coastal Taipan (it was quite obvious it was an Eastern Brown).

At the end of the day, there is a lot of talk, but very rarely evidence!

 

[eipper]

Notechis come right along to about 25kms from Scone on the Isis river and are also on the the Page.

They are fairly common at low elevation around Stewarts brook and Moonan Flat as well as being on belltrees

Jonno....I know of a tai that was seen within about 150m of the top of one of the SEQ ranges

 

[Fuscus]

try this page - Coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) at the Australian Reptile Online Database | ReptilesDownUnder.com

 

[jack]

beat me to it scott... Garthy, i have picked up a tiger on the banks of the pages river north of scone, on my grandparents farm. only browns and redbellies at my cousin and uncles farms closer to town though.

in regards to taipans and misleading anecdotal evidence, the longest brown snake i have seen was on the road between grafton and a place called jackadgery, and if i was a regular punter i reckon would be telling all and sundry i saw a taipan in nsw

 

[redbellybite]

this little snippet from a Gympie muster website ...I copied/pasted it ...lmfao @ 'viper'

Snakes alive!

Fifty hectares; 13 sites; thousands of visitors … one snake. No ordinary snake, mind. Lurking near the St John Ambulance station (how’s that for handy?) was a taipan – the world’s most venomous viper. “Saturday arvo, as the sun’s going down, everyone’s piled in the camping ground,” tells Ed from NSW. “Then a guy from St John Ambulance ran over and almost tackled me out of the way.”
Unfortunately for the taipan, it decided to make its Gympie debut at the moment one event official was clocking off for the night. One of his hands was busy with a Bundy & cola, but he put the other to good use – by picking up the taipan by its tail. It takes a lot to knock these guys off their stride.

 

[redbellybite]

Well no wonder we arent seeing them in the SE QLD we are looking for the wrong ones we need to be looking for the VIPER ones

 

[Jonno from ERD]

I would almost guarantee it would be a Brown Tree Snake up there. We did some shows up there when we first started the business (got to meet Jimmy Barnes!) and Brown Tree's were rampant.

 

[Waterrat]

Isn't every killed taipan a brown tree snake?

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Either that, or a Keelback.

 

[AllThingsReptile]

funny how their called "coastal" taipans, but are nowhere near the coast, instead on mountains LOL

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day lizardboii,

They are most definitely a "coastal" species - check out the distribution map here - Coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) at the Australian Reptile Online Database | ReptilesDownUnder.com - you'll see that they stick close to the coast all around Australia. The specimen from the western Victorian/SA border would be incorrect identified.

 

[pythons73]

From memory a friend of mine that lives up in Grafton has seen 2 Tais just north of the town,of some dirt road.about 12ks from town.He also knows his reptiles,I will find out if he has any pictures also...SAme applies to Coastal Carpets Lizardboii,there found 100s of ks away from the coast...

 

[Kupres]

I used to own property on the Wivenhoe (East side) Crosdale... Mckey rd to be prescice..... If you want.. just before you turn into Mckey rd just keep going straight till you reach a dead end before the road goes into the Wivenhoe... Get out,, go left & go looking around there... I caught a very large costal there about 8-9 yrs ago.... Neighbour had a bad bite & was treated for coastal.. spent a few weeks in the hospital...