Ornamental Snake
Denisonia maculata
Australia's Threatened Species Category
Vulnerable
Listed since: 29/04/2014
IUCN's Threatened Species Category
Data Deficient
Listed since: 13/06/2017
Population trend: Decreasing
Other names: None
Priority species? No
The Australian government's Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032 selected over 100 priority species derived from consultation with threatened species experts and the wider community. While all species are important, focusing on a limited number of species can help target effort and resources so that outcomes can be achieved, measured and shared.
Description
The Ornamental Snake is known only from within the drainage system of the Fitzroy and Dawson Rivers in Queensland and is sparsely distributed across its geographic range and the population size is unknown. It is a brown, greybrown or black snake with lighter coloured body scales often with darker streaks that grows to 50cm in length with distinctly barred lips. They can be found on floodplains and feed almost exclusively on frogs.
Threats
The main identified threat to the Ornamental Snake is a continued legacy of past broadscale land clearing and habitat degradation. The Brigalow Belt Bioregion is an area of high human impact with much of the region modified through agricultural and urban development. Destruction of wetland habitat by feral pigs is also a threat, and potentially poisoing from the ingesting Cane Toads.
Quollity Conservation Hub's Overall Priority Score
Average life span:
Unknown
Number of young produced each year:
Unknown
Number of breeding events each year:
Unknown
Minimum sexual maturity age:
Unknown
Who is helping
Useful links for more detailed information on this species
DCCEEW - Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
SPRAT - DCCEEW Species Profile and Threats Database