Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

’s landmass is 7,617,930 square kilometres. Due to the country's large landmass, many climates are experienced including equatorial, tropical, subtropical,

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

, monsoonal, temperate, and alpine. These differing climates influence Australia's snake distribution and abundance, and provide many different and unique habitats for them.

Western Australia

80% of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

falls into the desert or semi-arid climate section meaning that it receives no more than a foot of

rainfall Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...

all year long. The soil is not rich in nutrients and over half of the days are sunny with no clouds. There is a large variety of snakes in this area. The highest temperature ever recorded here is 123 degrees Fahrenheit (50.6 Celsius) and averages are in the 80's (F) and 90's (F) (20's and 30's Celsius) during more than half of the year. Because of these hot temperature the snake habitats in Western Australia are mostly out in the open. They enjoy soaking up the sun since they are not warm blooded. It is a wrong belief that snakes are cold blooded. They are actually 'poikilothermis', meaning that they cannot control their body temperature and depend upon external sources to stay warm. Habitats are typically on top of rocks or out on the desert sand area that cover most of this province. Several species of snakes can also be found in the grassy expanses surrounding wetlands and lakes in the wetter south west region of the state.

Northern Territory

The

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

is located to the northeast of Western Australia. Here the climate ranges from desert to tropical. This wide climate variety is accompanied by a wide variety of snakes making use of the different habitats. The highest recorded temperature in this region is 48.3 degrees Celsius and averages are around 26 degrees Celsius year round. The further south in the province you go the cooler it is, and record lows such as –7.5 degrees Celsius have been recorded in the arid inland desert. MacLeay's water snake is a largely nocturnal species that is typically found in coastal Northern Territory. The water snakes spend most of their time in or near water where they feed; they will only leave to bask in the sun or breed. They are found mostly in freshwater lagoons, swamps and creeks and can also be found sheltering in vegetation near water. Their range increases markedly during wet season flooding. Their most defining characteristic is their stout bodies and strongly keeled scales. In terms of breeding, water snakes are

viviparous Among animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. This is opposed to oviparity which is a reproductive mode in which females lay developing eggs that complete their development and hatch externally from the m ...

which means that they give birth to up to 15 live offspring instead of laying eggs. They are a mildly venomous species with rear-facing fangs.

Queensland

Located on the east coast,

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

is the second largest state and has a wide range of climates due to its vast size. The coastal area is very humid and warm year round with the dry season being in the winter. The inland section of the state is dominated by grassland. The majority of the snakes found in Queensland are in the north of the state where there is

tropical rainforest Tropical rainforests are rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season – all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm – and may also be referred to as ''lowland equatori ...

, which provides dense vegetation for the snakes to shelter in, and a wide variety of forest animals for them to prey upon. Snakes also inhabit natural caves and soft soil near cliffs, where there are ample sunny rocks for them to bake on during the day. The snakes are also capable of digging themselves into the soil. The

Eastern brown snake The eastern brown snake (''Pseudonaja textilis''), often referred to as the common brown snake, is a species of highly venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to eastern and central Australia and southern New Guinea. It was ...

is a species that is found in Queensland. The snake is named after its predominating color, however colour can range from uniform tan to grey or dark brown. The belly is cream, yellow or pale orange with darker orange spots. This species is a slender, small headed member of the cobra family. They are alert, fast moving, and highly venomous. Being very active during the day time, they feed on small lizards,

mice A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...

, and ground dwelling

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

South Australia

To the south of the Northern Territory is

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

. This state is mainly temperate with occasional desert areas. Sand dunes are common breeding grounds for snakes of this region. Most of the venomous tend to be in this area. This is because it receives large amounts of sun but at the same time allows for enough cover for protection. The Tiger snake is a species that represent South Australia. They usually have striped markings hence their name; the markings can also change due to the seasons and the age of the snakes. They are very territorial, so they will live in the same place for years, and are found in a broad range of habitats including suburbs. Because of the fact they are territorial their habitats remain the same and they do not move around for any reason. For diet, these snakes feed on all types of creatures such as

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...

s, small

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

, and other

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

New South Wales

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

is the central state on the east coast of Australia. This region surrounds the

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. ...

) where the nation's capital

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

is located. Most of the state is in a

temperate climate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

zone which is not very conducive to snakes that need extended periods of heat in order to survive. NSW has large mountain ranges, and snow is present during the coldest winter months. Snakes are not found in the snowy regions, and are most common in the rural bushland which is interspersed with agricultural areas. CommonTreeSnake

The Common Tree Snake is found in multiple provinces in Australia including New South Wales. Something unique about these snakes is that they stiffen in the shape of a beam to cross from branch to branch. Commonly hiding among the vines such as ivy, they are able to blend well with their habitat. They have a tiny head, and thin foreparts; however, they can reach up to 1.8 metres in length. They prey on birds, arboreal lizards, and frogs.

Victoria

This state experiences a temperate climate and has a large coastal area. Fewer snakes are present than in warmer states, for snakes prefer a warmer and sunnier environment where they can bask. Being poikilothermic, they depend heavily upon external heat for survival. The white-lipped snake is one of few species that is able to survive in the cold highland regions on Victoria. Its preferred habitat is tussock grass or sedge fields where the small snake finds shelter under logs or dense vegetation. Since the habitat is so frigid, its oviparous characteristic is very remarkable; the snake's small size and secretive habits most likely play a role in its survival under such conditions. Although these harsh conditions do not have much of an impact on the snake's eggs, it does affect its fecundity by limiting reproduction to every 2 to 3 years.

References

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