Pseudonaja textilis (Eastern Brown Snake)
What an experience!
There I was, plodding along a bush track in my pursuit of wildflowers when I saw what I first thought was an piece of discarded old hose lying beside the track only six feet away. On closer inspection I realised that hoses do not have black beady eyes nor do they have a flickering forked tongue.
This Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, is a perfect specimen of the very poisonous Australian Pseudonaja textilis (Eastern Brown Snake) and this was a verrrrry BIG boy at over six feet (2m) and as thick as my forearm.
When it finally dawned on me just what it was my first instinct was that I just HAD to get a photograph . Verrry slowly and verrry deliberately I lowered my tripod to the ground then made my camera settings. All the while the snake was eyeing me as I was eyeing him and that eye contact was simply amazing.
Brave or stupid? So far you my be thinking that I was very brave. (Funnily I was feeling excited not fearful). Now here comes the stupid part! After squeezing off four shots – just to make sure – I decided it would be a good idea to get closer for that REALLY good close-up. I took one step closer and with lighting speed the brown serpent slithered off into the bush and I could still hear him even when he was out of sight.
After it disappeared it suddenly dawned on me that as the snake was at least six foot long AND I was only six feet away AND that I had moved closer AND that this was one of Australia’s most venomous reptiles, that God must indeed have been watching over me this day!
On a more humorous note I realised that I may have been the very first human being this snake had ever clapped eyes on which was only fair as it was the only Brown Snake that I had ever seen in the wild.
[NOTE: For the eye opening facts about the toxicity of this Aussie snake, read Bryan Petersen’s comment below.]
The adventure happened along the Ocean Drive Fire Trail in the Queen’s Lake Nature Reserve, North Haven, NSW, Australia, on a lovely spring afternoon.
Fuji S9600: f/4.5 @ 1/420sec, Manual focus, Hand held.
Lightroom 1.1 & Photoshop CS3.
Visit the Amphibians & Reptiles collection in my BubbleSite Gallery for more cold blooded creatures.
UPDATE:
20-10-08
This sinuous, sibilant serpent was featured in the Australian Wildlife Group .
Enjoy!
SNAKES
(Click the links!)
Pseudonaja textilis
Morelia spilota cheynei – Sanke-eye
Pseudonaja textilis (Eastern Brown Snake) belongs to the following groups:
*1:1 with the News (Images Only With a Story), Former DPF Members, Herpetofauna of Australia, New South Wales Photography and Reptiles Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
Maximus
Great shot, but please be careful with these nasty buggers. :)
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Max,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you are the very first Bubbler to comment on my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your encouraging and supportive :Great shot…” wrap for my serpentine efforts and for the warning.
I think I did the right thing in standing still when we made eye contact and in moving slowly. After all I am here to tell the tale. If I had freaked out and made sudden movements you may have read about it in the paper. I even had thoughts about what would be said if I had been bitten: “Headlines – Photographer found dead on bush track, foaming at the mouth but with a camera in his hand a a smile on his face.” 8-)
GB
Dennis
Claire Farley
Your game Dennis, I near wet my pants when I sight a lizzard in the bush…never mind a snake.!!!Mate, they are all yours! Nice to see you are still with us!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Claire,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your supportive and mindful comments on my serpentine efforts.
All part of the Great Adventure m’dear. The shot came first and I ruminated on what might have been later. Even now I still feel excited by the whole experience. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Bryan Peterson
Great Shot Dennis and for all those that don’t know the experiance of being bitten here is some toxicology information: Pseudonaja textilis (Eastern brown snake) is the most toxic member of the genera and, at 12 times the toxicity of the Indian cobra Naja naja, it is the second most toxic land snake in Australia. However, due to the greater range, occurrence in urban areas and aggressive temperament, the eastern brown snake is the most dangerous and clinically important snake in Australia. The venom of the Eastern Brown snake is slow to produce effect, but once symptoms emerge they proceed with terrifying rapidity with death being sudden and unexpected. Part of the problem is that the early signs of the bite pathology closely resemble that of the occurrence of psychological shock and thus may be misdiagnosed. Symptomology of envenomation include: cardiorespiratory failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation accompanied by very active secondary fibrinolysis which contributes to the acute bleeding, renal failure, and severe thrombocytopenia. The coagulant component of the venom is a powerful complete prothrombinase that makes up over 30% of the total venom protein and converts prothrombin to alpha-thrombin which ultimately results in the clinically seen disappearance of fibrinogen and accompanying rise in fibrin in the blood.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Bryan,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your very encouraging “Great shot…” wrap for my serpentine efforts.
(GULP!) I don’t know whether to thank you for all the gory information or not but I think some “Hail Marys” and a sacrificial goat are due on my part! 8-)
GB
Dennis
Marvin Collins
Great capture Dennis, and knowing what it was and getting the shot anyways you are a brave man, I’ve had some close encounters with our Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes and these can be dangerous but rarely fatal if treated in time. But I still keep my distance. Well done oh mighty snake charmer!!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Marvin,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your very encouraging “…oh mighty snake charmer!!” wrap for my serpentine efforts.
Oh I didn’t capture it. There was no way I was going to grab hold of that super sibilant serpent. But I did assess the situation and make a decent photograph though. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Rosalie Dale IPA
You didn’t exaggerate did you – that really WAS a close encounter of the reptilian kind! Better you than me – now DON’T do it again – stick to the pretty little flowers, huh?!!!! For a photo taken under some pressure this is so good. You have eye contact, his whole body is visible (obligingly he’s in the clear so you can see the whole six feet of him) and your exposure is great. (Are you sure this wasn’t a setup?!!!) Well done.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Rosalie,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your very encouraging “…this is so good…” wrap for my serpentine efforts.
A set-up???!!! How dare you madame! There was no contractual agreement between myself and Mr E B Snake for any photographic enterprise whatsoever.
What you see is what you get and what I said was the truth. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Dennis Rubin IPA
nice capture, way to keep the eyes open, DG!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day DR,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your very encouraging “nice…” wrap for my serpentine efforts.
Oh I didn’t capture it. There was no way I was going to grab hold of that super sibilant serpent. But I did assess the situation and make a decent photograph though. 8-)
Keep them open!!!??? They must have been as wide as saucers. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Steve Bullock
Nice one mate, I know the exact spot, I used to camp at Rainbow Beach and we would go bushwalking all around that area.
Be very careful with these guys, they LOVE to show who is boss, are lightening fast, and not afraid to bite. In saying that, most are very placid and more scared of you than you are of them.
Looks like a big boy though, don’t see many around these days.. Find any lace monitors around there? There were stacks of them when I went.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Steve,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your very encouraging “Nice one…” wrap for my serpentine efforts.
In all the time Mr E B Snake and I were together he did not show any signs of aggression and took off straight away as soon as I moved forward. By his girth I hazard a guess that he had a feed recently and may have been feeling a bit “slow”.
No Monitors in that area (yet) but I have come across a few at Kattang and Shelleys Beach.
GB
Dennis
debsphotos
WOW Dennis…he’s a beauty!!!!! So lucky you seen him!!! We had one on the verandah a few weeks ago…!!! Excellent capture!!!! *-)
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Deb,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your very encouraging “WOW…” wrap for my serpentine efforts.
I am still excited by it all. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Lesley Hill
Very brave, great capture!
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Lesley,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your very encouraging “…brave, great…” wrap for my serpentine efforts.
The more I think about it, the more the word “stupid” comes to mind. 8-)
GB
Dennis
GailD
Ooh. What a shot Dennis. We usually see at least one of these chappies up close & personal each summer. Generally they are happy to leave one alone as long as they are left alone.
He probably was a male seeing as he ‘ran’. A female, at this time of year, may have had babies & would have chased instead.
Good to know you had some divine guidance. Always helpful.
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Gail,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your very encouraging “Ooh. What a shot…” wrap for my serpentine efforts.
Must have been a male. I didn’t see any lipstick or high heels! ;-0
Yup! Just one more little event in my life that proves to me He loves me. 8-)
GB
Dennis
Stewart Macdonald
It’s such a shame that there is so much misinformation about snakes out there. It’s also a shame that people make such a big deal about seeing snakes in the wild, and completely overstate the danger they were in.
Some facts to clear things up:
God wasn’t watching over you. You had a very normal encounter with a shy and retiring animal.
There’s no evidence that suggests female snakes are any more likely to chase you than are male snakes (and it takes a lot to provoke a snake into chasing you). Eastern brown snakes show no maternal care after egg deposition.
As Steve said above, they’re not aggressive. They are, however, very capable of defending themselves.
What you did wasn’t particularly stupid or dangerous (though obviously there was always a risk). You approached the animal slowly, and the animal wasn’t cornered. When it decided you were a threat, it moved directly away from you. Approaching a snake when it has no escape route is stupid and dangerous.
Calling these snakes ‘nasty buggers’ is inappropriately anthropomorphising them. Snakes do what they do. They’re not nasty, they’re not mean. They’re simply out to survive. Going around and biting random humans doesn’t give them any evolutionary advantage.
I’m not trying to be rude or arrogant, but snake-hate is a pet peeve of mine (and there’s sadly a lot of snake-hate in this world).
Stewart
Dennis Gay replied
G’day Stewart,
Well thank you for putting us/me straight mate. 8-)
Ease up pal. To me is was a most exciting, thrilling encounter with this fantastic creature and I am fully aware of their place in the world.
Yes, there is a lot of misimformation about snakes, especially poisonous ones and myself and others have obviously pertetuated some of that misinformation above. I apologise for my part and for offending your sensibilities.
It still remains that I was not in one of the safest positions I have been in my life and could have been bitten. If that had occurred I would have been a dead man so this has added to the adrenalin pumping behind my very true story. Call it my moment of fame when nobody came. 8-)
Now, about the photography. Do you think it’s OK? ;-)
GB
Dennis
Dennis Gay
UPDATE: 20-10-08
This sinuous, sibilant serpent was featured in the Australian Wildlife Group .
My thanks to the Hosts and to all who have supported this work.
GB
Dennis
Marilyn Harris
You are brave Dennis!!! Great capture!!! Congratulations on the feature!!!
Dennis Gay
G’day Blossom,
Good to see you on the track on my eventful wildflower safari and that you have spotted my reptilian friend.
Many thanks for your very encouraging “…Great…” wrap for my serpentine efforts and for all the !s.
GB
Dennis
MickThow
Great shot my friend
Dennis Gay replied
Hola Mick.
Welcome to my great snake adventure.
Thank you so much for your appreciative and encouraging “Great shot…” comment for this hard earned photograph and for the honour adding it to your favourites.
GB
Dennis
Steve Bullock
Hi mate,
Would love this in the book. If you can email it to me that would be great. steveb013@hotmail.com
Dennis Gay replied
Hi Ho Steve!
It is quite an honour for my Snake and I that you have selected this one. As you can tell by the narrative it is very special to me.
GB
D!
Steve Sass
nice work Dennis
Dennis Gay replied
Howdy STEVEN!
Great to see you made it along the track. If you’re behind me – don’t push!!!
Thanks big time for your encouraging “nice…” wrap for my heart stopping, (with excitement), serpentine photography.
GB
Dennis
Shelley Warbrooke
Scary stuff, Dennis. I certainly wouldn’t be caught anywhere near an Eastern Brown! Very brave capture :)