Herping Queensland's Black soil Plains

This is the first video I've made in Australia and is the first of many, on this occasion we head out from Cairns to the black soil plains targeting a number of elapids and the black-headed python. As you can see from the thumbnail we have some success and really enjoyed the arid environment out there. If you enjoy this video please consider liking and subscribing to help the channel. Many thanks!
#herping #herpingaustralia #herpetology #herpetologist #herpetologia #herpetofauna #snake #snakes #reptiles #reptile #blackheadedpython #browntreesnake #childrenspython #queensland #australia

[@jgjulander]

Your Children's python appears to be a spotted python (Antaresia maculosa), but I could be wrong. Nice footage and some great finds!

[@fishingandherping7681]

Thankyou! :) Yeah with regards to the Antaresia it was a specimen from just South of Hughenden where all records seem to now be considered childreni but I don't know for sure how they can be distinguished morphologically apart from variable patterning characteristics, so I went with children's, but I also could be wrong, thanks for watching :)

[@jgjulander]

@@fishingandherping7681 yeah, that area is right on the border. Maybe a range extension. Of course you saw the animal in person, but it looks an awful lot like a Mac.

[@samasiaskipperable]

Thank you 🙏 ❤

[@fishingandherping7681]

My pleasure, thanks for watching :)

[@womanofgoldenwords3881]

I’m heading to Australia for my 4th time next month and want to do some herping. Like you, I don’t pick them up or handle them, I have a good camera and lens and I just like to photograph. Anyway, how fast are you driving at night and at what time are you out looking?

[@fishingandherping7681]

Great to hear :) I was cruising around 60kph if it was quiet to cover ground and then if i found productive areas or activity started to happen I'd slow it down to 40-50, and I cruise from evening until whenever really, depending on how productiv things are or how desperate you've got haha

[@jaimeortega4940]

Great finds of the Black Headed Pythons and monitors! I probably would have kept a couple of the Boigas to feed the rarer critters.

[@fishingandherping7681]

Thanks mate, those Boiga are quite common but they don't need my help to end up becoming prey to something out there haha

[@Jays-s7n]

What roads were you herping on

[@fishingandherping7681]

Not sure exactly what the roads called mate but its the main roads running in and out of winton :)

[@stefanostokatlidis4861]

Nice black-headed pythons and monitor. It is difficult to make a nice recording of a monitor. I didn’t know that brown tree snakes are so common in Australia. Now it is easy to imagine them as an invasive species on a small island. Also why you didn’t handle anything on camera? You aren’t getting a real feeling for herps if you don’t handle them, and in this respect they are better than birds or mammals. You could well measure the python and feel her belly just by holding her for a few minutes.

[@fishingandherping7681]

Thanks mate, to be honest I do prefer to minimize handling though just to keep reduce disturbance as much as I can especially considering I photograph them for a while, and also to reduce the chance of other people handling snakes as a result of my videos and then ending up possibly misidentifying snakes or getting bitten themselves, causing harm to the snake etc.