| Death Adders The common death adder Acanthophis antarcticus Death adders are the most distinguishable snakes in Australia. They have the habit of burying themselves in sand or leaf litter, with just their head and tail exposed whilst they lie in wait for potential prey. When a small bird, lizard or small mammal approaches, they twitch their tail rapidly like a grub to attract their prey. If the prey approaches close enough, the rapid strike rarely misses its mark. Their habit of laying still, partially exposed, makes them difficult to see and more easily trodden on. Death adders have suffered declines over much of their habitats due to land clearing and habitat degradation by domestic stock. Competition from introduced predators such as foxes and cats has also aided their decline. Remaining habitats anywhere in South Australia are important for death adders and they should be conserved. In South Australia, they prefer mallee and coastal dune communities. Support by everyone is important, not only for death adders but many other native fauna types. Any death adders venturing into domestic gardens, work sites and farms or in any undesirable locations would be valuable additions to our snake milking program and we would be grateful for any support from the local community. We do not urge anyone without snake handling experience, to try and catch these snakes. Just simply observe where they take refuge, mark they spot and call us using the contact details at the end. | |
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