Action Statement Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 No. 175 Inland Carpet Python Morelia spilota metcalfei Description and distribution The Inland Carpet Python or Inland Carpet Snake, Morelia spilota metcalfei, is a slow-moving, nocturnal snake that has an average adult length of 170 to 190 cm (Barker and Barker 1994, Cogger 2000). Being a python (family Boidae), and therefore non-venomous, it overcomes prey by constricting it in coils of its body. The Inland Carpet Python is one of only two pythons to occur in Victoria, the other being the closely-related Diamond Python, Morelia spilota spilota (Coventry and Robertson 1991). Inland Carpet Pythons have a contrasting and complicated pattern, generally of black and shades of grey, brown or tan - the back is dark with pale markings, and the sides are pale Inland Carpet Python Morelia spilota metcalfei with dark markings. There is a series of paired, (Photo: Peter Robertson) pale, rounded blotches down the back, with some pairs joined to form transverse bars or dumbbell shapes. The sides are pale with a variably-defined, dark, mid-lateral longitudinal stripe. (Barker and Barker 1994). Snakes in the southern portion of the range, the Murray River drainage in Victoria, are essentially black and grey, although some individuals may have a tan colouration on the sides. The subspecies considered in this Action Statement occurs from the Eyre Peninsula region of South Australia, the Flinders Ranges, across inland northern Victoria, north through inland New South Wales and into southern and central Queensland west of the Great Dividing Range. Distribution in Victoria Habitat [from Atlas of Victorian Wildlife, DSE 2004] In Victoria, the Inland Carpet Python inhabits two very different environments in the north of the State; River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forests and associated Black Box (Eucalyptus comprises 50% to 80% of the diet of adult Inland largiflorens) woodlands along the major Carpet Pythons in Victoria. watercourses; and rocky hills, often within The home range size of the Inland Carpet Python woodlands of Blakely's Red Gum (Eucalyptus in Victoria (30 to 150 ha) appears to be larger than blakelyi). There are also some records from other that of other subspecies of Carpet Python studied vegetation types, such as mallee shrublands, elsewhere in Australia. Callitris woodlands and freshwater swamps. Recent studies have shown that the introduced Red Life history and ecology Fox (Vulpes vulpes) can be an important predator of the Inland Carpet Python, individuals of all sizes Hollow-bearing trees and logs, or large rock being taken – presumably because these snakes are outcrops, plus thick litter or shrub cover, are slow-moving with no venomous defences, they are essential to the existence of Inland Carpet Pythons. particularly vulnerable. Also, because the Inland These are used as shelter sites, to avoid predators, Carpet Python in some areas is heavily dependent to ambush prey, and to assist in thermoregulation upon rabbits as a major food source, it may be (Shine 1994). Such features also provide essential increasingly exposed to fox predation while habitat for prey items, particularly the foraging. Eggs, hatchlings and incubating female herpetofauna utilised by juvenile pythons. Inland Inland Carpet Pythons may also be prone to Carpet Pythons may also use rabbit burrows as predation by the Feral Cat (Felis cattus), Tree shelter, with rabbits being a major food source. In Goanna (Varanus varius), and possibly the Feral Pig some areas, they make use of houses and other (Sus scrofus). structures, where introduced rodents form part of the diet. Activities which remove large hollow- Where the Inland Carpet Python inhabits bearing trees, logs, coarse woody debris, shrubs woodlands along watercourses, it is continually and litter may all threaten the survival of the exposed to disturbance by people fishing, camping Inland Carpet Python. and firewood cutting. In rocky hill habitats, where the shrub layer is particularly important, grazing Female Inland Carpet Pythons in Victoria may and firewood collection can dramatically reduce breed only every third or fourth year, taking that the quality of the habitat – in such areas, many on long to gather the resources needed for private land, habitat fragmentation via clearing, reproduction. Mating occurs in spring, with the grazing and firewood collection is an ongoing eggs (averaging 20 per clutch) laid during the concern. The Inland Carpet Python’s slow-moving December to January period. The eggs are nature make it particularly vulnerable when on incubated by the female for 50 to 60 days - she roads, a problem especially in more-densely settled coils her body around them, maintaining relatively areas. Its slow-moving nature and lack of venom high incubation temperatures by brief basking also expose it to deliberate killing or illegal excursions and by shivering to produce heat. This collection - its attractive patterning make it a is the most advanced form of parental care preferred snake for reptile fanciers. exhibited by any Victorian reptile (Coventry and Robertson 1991). Inland Carpet Pythons in riverine habitats are known to incubate inside large logs Conservation status with hollows, while those in rocky habitats are DSE (2003) Endangered thought to do so within large rock crevices. SAC (1992) Threatened Hatchlings appear by late February, and are independent of the female from the time of Inland Carpet and Diamond Pythons (Morelia hatching. spilota spilota) have been listed as threatened taxa under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. While juvenile Inland Carpet Pythons are thought to feed mostly on lizards, adults prey upon small to medium-sized mammals, as well as birds, Decline and threats particularly those roosting in tree hollows. The The Inland Carpet Python is described as “once radical alterations to the abundance and widespread in woodlands along major distribution of mammals which have occurred watercourses and rock outcrops of northern since European settlement in northern Victoria Victoria” (LCC 1987). Since European settlement, would be expected to have profoundly affected the the subspecies has been subjected to a series of feeding habits of adult Inland Carpet Pythons, the human-induced threats that have resulted in the resultant changes in prey availability potentially number of populations declining, with a limiting both the frequency of breeding and the concurrent reduction in distribution of the species number of young produced. The number of young as a whole (LCC 1987); there are only 160 surviving to reproductive age may also be altered. confirmed records in Victoria. The taxon is now Recent studies have shown that the introduced considered to be ‘endangered’ within Victoria (DSE European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) now 2003). 2 Activities known to have or thought to be • accidental death through road kills; threatening the Inland Carpet Python include: • illegal collection for the pet trade. • reduction and fragmentation of habitat, by In its final recommendation, the Scientific Advisory activities such as clearing, cultivation, Committee (SAC 1992) has determined that the subdivision and timber harvesting; Inland Carpet Python is significantly prone to • actual and potential loss of connectivity of future threats which are likely to result in habitat as many tracts of connecting vegetation extinction, and is very rare in terms of abundance become severely degraded, particularly on or distribution. freehold land; • degradation of remaining habitat, including the Wider conservation issues reduction of hollow-bearing trees and logs, Much of the land on which Inland Carpet Pythons shrubs and ground debris, and reduction of now exist in north-western Victoria, and where cover provided by rock outcrops. A variety of management activities will be directed initially, is processes contribute to this degradation, Crown Land. This is being managed for nature including: conservation purposes in the case of National ¾ firewood collection; Parks and conservation reserves, and in other areas management prescriptions require that grazing ¾ grazing by domestic stock, particularly of and wood production are permitted where these the shrub layer; activities do not conflict with the conservation ¾ reduced amount of regeneration of values of the land. indigenous species due to factors such as dieback of mature trees; In north-eastern Victoria, only some areas of Inland Carpet Pythons habitat on rocky hills are ¾ inappropriate fire; within conservation reserves which are managed ¾ changed flooding regimes in riverine areas; giving due consideration to Inland Carpet Python ¾ weed invasion; requirements. However, many valuable areas are ¾ direct disturbance to and/or removal of on private land which is subject to variable rocks by humans, either for quarries, management, generally not with biodiversity gardens or by reptile fanciers; conservation as a major objective, and where ongoing degradation and fragmentation is • the extinction of 18 species of small to frequently a major problem. medium-sized mammals in northern Victoria, as well as an overall reduction in extant native Protection of Inland Carpet Python habitat in mammal populations. This has resulted in a riverine areas will provide incidental protection for reduced variety and availability of prey, which the habitat of a wide range of other wildlife. A may have created a dependence on the reversal of the process of habitat simplification introduced European