the not-koala by koalagardens

the not-koala

about 25 m up one of the koala-favoured red gums was a coastal carpet python. I don't know if they have ever eaten koalas but there are reports of them eating a young wallaby and take possums and cats. I've always loved these snakes and have one that lives around the house - well this could be the same one, I don't have a scale pattern recognition strategy!
Sure had me shaking my head as I've never seen one so high up a tree, but now know that it's quite common. Always so much to learn!
Wow, I think I would be afraid to walk around in that area, thinking that one of them might fall on top of me. :-) Great shot.
December 6th, 2017  
My Goodness what a scary snake ! Lovely markings however
December 6th, 2017  
great capture, an impressive snake
December 6th, 2017  
Oh, I would run for it! Haha, I'm so scared of snakes. I watched a python catch and swallow/crush a possum before while my son was playing hockey. Scary to watch.
December 6th, 2017  
@rickster549 @fr1da @hjbenson @888rachel I've never been at all scared of pythons and quite like having them around as they do keep rats in check. these ones do have beautiful markings, I'll sure be looking for them up there from now on!
December 6th, 2017  
oh my! That would be a surprise to run into.
December 6th, 2017  
Nicely spotted and captured. Is be worried about it dropping on my head 😮😀
December 6th, 2017  
I'd not is 😞
December 6th, 2017  
Scary find! Hope the koalas are ok :)
December 6th, 2017  
Waaaw ! what a surprise for you !! - A python in gum tree ( a new version of the 12 days of Christmas )!!
December 6th, 2017  
A beautiful capture & detail......although I wouldn't want to come across one...hope the koalas are nowhere near him
December 6th, 2017  
Wonderful nature shot...Fav
December 6th, 2017  
I didn’t know a snake would go high up into a tree. I hope the koalas are far away!
December 6th, 2017  
wow !
December 6th, 2017  
Well spotted and captured
December 6th, 2017  
@kchuk yes the coastal python is arboreal, but I hadn't seen one that high before!
December 6th, 2017  
Nice find and capture :)
December 6th, 2017  
yikes
hope it did not scare the koalas
December 6th, 2017  
Wow! What does the one around your house normally live on do you know?
December 7th, 2017  
@vignouse mostly they eat small mammals - there are cane fields below my property so the snakes keep the rats down. sadly they also eat the native frogs, but that's life isn't it!
December 7th, 2017  
I think you may wake up one morning to see a very fat snake & 1 koala missing !!!
December 7th, 2017  
@peterlgrave hoping not of course - koala is not their usual diet, but anything is possible!! it's a jungle out there!
December 7th, 2017  
I've only ever seen photos of Koalas in trees... do they ever come down to the ground?
December 7th, 2017  
@vignouse thanks for asking Richard - because there is so little habitat they have to come down to the ground to move from tree to tree a lot of the time. they are ungainly on the ground and at great threat from dogs, and of course if they have to cross roads it's a huge issue
they can jump quite well so if trees are thick they will move through the treetops which is how they used to move in the old forests
here is a little video from July so you can see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W77YamWhWE
December 7th, 2017  
This is delightful - thank you for sharing.
December 7th, 2017  
That’s an amazing shot. I hope he doesn’t have a taste for koalas.
December 7th, 2017  
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