Gwardar

[Fuscus]

This poor chap is ( was? ) proberly a Gwardar or the Western Brown Snake Pseudonaja nuchalis, I'm sure I'll get heaps of differeing opinions ( but it isn't a deaf adder afro ).

He had been hit by a car and was in the centre of the road. I put my boots on ( I NEVER assume road kill is dead ) and grabbed the hook and went and had a look. The snake moved feebly as I approached. She had no noticable damage marks, I gently moved her off the road using the hook to lift her but she was very weak and didn't put up a struggle.

She had full movement for the first third of her body but lacked co-ordination further down but seemed to get better as I watched.

I left her at the side of the road near cover. I did debate if I should put her down but thought she was recovering. Transporting the animal was not an option.

 

[Ricko]

hey fuscus nice pic mate and was just wandering are you doing a road trip mate?

 

[Fuscus]

Another view

 

[craig]

looks like a mulga to me!

 

[westaussie]

doesnt look like a gwarder fuscy,
looks more like a mulga P. australis - (southern form)
where abouts was it ?

 

[Fuscus]

Near Ularu.
You could be right Westie, while the animal looks like the photo of Pseudonaja nuchalis in Wilson & Swan but Ehmann states that the Mulga has a red-brown eye, like that animal.
Both species are found in that area ( and both species are found near Adelaide )

 

[soulweaver]

i take it the snake died?

 

[PilbaraPythons]

Nice photo and like WestAussie said, definitely a mulga Fuscus. Two temporal scales between labial and parietal (Pseudechis) single temporal (Pseudonaja).
Cheers Dave

 

[basketcase]

what camera were you using ?

 

[Guest]

hey soulweaver he said that he left it and went away. and he also said it was recovering. y do u assume it died?

 

[Fuscus]

Thanks guys, I stand corrected - its a mulga.
Soulweaver, the animal was alive when I lsft.

 

[moosenoose]

nice pics Fuscus.

 

[Fuscus]

what camera were you using ?

http://www.nikon-image.com/eng/PDF/d100.htm

 

[craig23]

Very nice looking mulga, Ive only ever seen red ones, which most people seem to prefer in captives, but i love the darker ones it makes the lighter leading edge of each scale stand out more, giving that great reticulated pattern.

craig