Reptile, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney

Red-bellied Black Snake, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney

While I am not an expert on reptiles, this is one species with which I am familiar. The Red-bellied Black Snake is one of the most easily identified of Australia’s snake species. It can be quite aggressive and quite venomous.

I am happy to report that I’ve only ever seen this species on a handful of occasions. Probably the most dramatic was one that slithered over the top of my boot while I was engrossed in bird watching. I’m not sure if my feet touched the ground for several metres as I leapt away in fright. I guess the snake received just as big a fright. It sure shook me up for a few minutes. I prefer to watch snakes in the safety of zoo enclosures, like this one at Taronga Zoo in Sydney.