White Crowned Snake
A White-crowned Snake(Cacophis harriettae) devours an Eastern Striped Skink (Ctenotus robustus) in a meal that lasted three hours!

The inoffensive and weakly venomous White-crowned snake, virtually harmless to people and pets, grows to about 0.45m. Although quite abundant throughout Brisbane suburbs, it is nocturnal in habit, so is not often seen. The skink grows to about 30cm (head to tail).

This event was discovered by Chris Wiley and photographed by Noel Wilson at the Mt Ommaney Walkway near the Brisbane River.

March 2000.

Ref: Queensland Museum (1995), Wildlife of Greater Brisbane.

wcsnake01a.jpg
Overall view of the snake with the skink's head and front legs already swallowed.
wcsnake02a.jpg
Close-up showing the snake's dislocating jaw action which enables it to swallow such large prey.

Page created 5 Apr 2000
Last updated 5 Apr 2000
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