Register      Login
Australian Journal of Zoology Australian Journal of Zoology Society
Evolutionary, molecular and comparative zoology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Distribution, abundance and demography of green pythons (Morelia viridis) in Cape York Peninsula, Australia

Daniel James Deans Natusch A C and David Francis Stewart Natusch B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

B Resource Development Ltd, Hunterville 4730, New Zealand.

C Corresponding author. Email: d_natusch_14@hotmail.com

Australian Journal of Zoology 59(3) 145-155 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO11031
Submitted: 2 May 2011  Accepted: 3 October 2011   Published: 23 November 2011

Abstract

The green python (Morelia viridis) is an iconic snake species highly sought after in the pet trade and is the target of illegal collection. Despite their popularity, some important ecological attributes of green pythons remain unknown, making their effective conservation management difficult. Detection-only surveys were conducted throughout the potential range of the green python in Australia, and intensive mark–recapture surveys were conducted in the areas where there have been previous records. In total, 298 green pythons were located in the Iron, McIlwraith and Kawadji–Ngaachi ranges of Cape York, distributed over an estimated area of 2289 km2, where they frequented rainforest habitats and adjacent vine thickets. They were not found in the Lockerbie Scrub or Jardine River Catchment, despite anecdotal records. Green python density was estimated to be 540 km–2 in the Iron Range and 200 km–2 in the McIlwraith Range, where the percentages of adults captured were 56% and 83%, respectively. The differences between abundance and population demographics in the Iron and McIlwraith ranges may be due to differences in prey abundance and the impacts of collection. The results of this study provide baseline data to conservation managers and policy makers for the future conservation management of this species in Australia.


References

Arnold, S. (1972). Species densities of predators and their prey. American Naturalist 106, 220–236.
Species densities of predators and their prey.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Auliya, M. (2003). ‘Hot Trade in Cool Creatures: a Review of the Live Reptile Trade in the European Union in the 1990s with a Focus on Germany.’ (TRAFFIC: Belgium)

Barker, D. G., and Barker, T. M. (1994). ‘Pythons of the World: Volume 1. Australia.’ (Advanced Vivarium Systems Inc.: Escondido, CA.)

Bonnet, X., Pearson, D., Ladyman, M., Lourdais, O., and Bradshaw, D. (2002b). ‘Heaven’ for serpents? A mark–recapture study of tiger snakes (Notechis scutatus) on Carnac Island, Western Australia. Austral Ecology 27, 442–450.
‘Heaven’ for serpents? A mark–recapture study of tiger snakes (Notechis scutatus) on Carnac Island, Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Brown, W. S., and Parker, W. S. (1976). A ventral scale clipping system for permanently marking snakes (Reptilia, Serpentes). Journal of Herpetology 10, 247–249.
A ventral scale clipping system for permanently marking snakes (Reptilia, Serpentes).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Burnham, K. P., and Anderson, D. R. (2001). Kullback–Leibler information as a basis for strong inference in ecological studies. Wildlife Research 28, 111–119.
Kullback–Leibler information as a basis for strong inference in ecological studies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Chappell, J., and Shackleton, N. J. (1986). Oxygen isotopes and sea level. Nature 324, 137–140.
Oxygen isotopes and sea level.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL2sXptVyq&md5=6527875e0449eb1f621630b91640289dCAS |

Cogger, H., Cameron, E., Sadlier, R., and Eggler, P. (1993). ‘The Action Plan for Australian Reptiles.’ (Australian Nature Conservation Agency: Canberra.)

Cohen, M. P. (1994). Survey of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna at Heathlands, Cape York Peninsula during March/April, 1993. Report to Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage, Cairns.

Collins, L. B., Zhao, J., and Freeman, H. (2006). A high precision record of mid–late Holocene sea-level events from emergent coral pavements in the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, southwest Australia. Quaternary International 145–146, 78–85.
A high precision record of mid–late Holocene sea-level events from emergent coral pavements in the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, southwest Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Crisp, M. D., Laffan, S., Linder, H. P., and Monro, A. (2001). Endemism in the Australian flora. Journal of Biogeography 28, 183–198.
Endemism in the Australian flora.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Dodson, J. R. (1989). Late pleistocene vegetation and environmental shifts in Australia and their bearing on faunal extinctions. Journal of Archaeological Science 16, 207–217.
Late pleistocene vegetation and environmental shifts in Australia and their bearing on faunal extinctions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Flannery, T. F. (1988). Origins of the Australo-Pacific mammal fauna. Australian Zoological Reviews 1, 15–24.

Frith, D. W., and Frith, C. B. (1995). ‘Cape York Peninsula: A Natural History.’ (Reed Books Australia: Sydney.)

Geyh, M. A., Streif, H., and Kudrass, H. R. (1979). Sea-level changes during the late Pleistocene and Holocene in the Strait of Malacca. Nature 278, 441–443.
Sea-level changes during the late Pleistocene and Holocene in the Strait of Malacca.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gibbons, J. W., and Andrews, K. M. (2004). PIT tagging: simple technology at its best. Bioscience 54, 447–454.
PIT tagging: simple technology at its best.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Grant, J. D., and Leung, L. (1993). Wet Season terrestrial fauna survey of the Lockerbie Scrub, Cape York Peninsula, April–May 1993. Report to the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage, Cairns.

Grant, J. D., and Leung, L. (1994). Storm Season terrestrial fauna survey of the Lockerbie Scrub, Cape York Peninsula, February 1994. Report to the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage, Cairns.

Gu, W., and Swihart, R. K. (2004). Absent or undetected? Effects of non-detection of species occurrence on wildlife–habitat models. Biological Conservation 116, 195–203.
Absent or undetected? Effects of non-detection of species occurrence on wildlife–habitat models.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Henderson, R. W., and Henderson, K. F. (1995). Altitudinal variation in body temperatures in foraging tree boas (Corallus enhydris) on Grenada. Caribbean Journal of Science 31, 73–76.

Hocknull, S. A., Zhao, J., Feng, Y., and Webb, G. E. (2007). Responses of Quaternary rainforest vertebrates to climate change in Australia. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 264, 317–331.
Responses of Quaternary rainforest vertebrates to climate change in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXhtlahsbzF&md5=baeaa24733caf96d992c9fd60ad59c4bCAS |

Hopkins, M. S., Head, J., Ash, J. E., Hewett, R. K., and Graham, A. W. (1996). Evidence of a Holocene and continuing recent expansion of lowland rain forest in humid, tropical North Queensland. Journal of Biogeography 23, 737–745.
Evidence of a Holocene and continuing recent expansion of lowland rain forest in humid, tropical North Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

IUCN (2001). IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1. (IUCN Species Survival Commission, Cambridge, UK).

Jansen, A. (2005). Avian use of restoration plantings along a creek linking rainforest patches on the Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland. Restoration Ecology 13, 275–283.
Avian use of restoration plantings along a creek linking rainforest patches on the Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kend, B. (1997). ‘Pythons of Australia.’ (Canyonland Publishing Group: Provo, USA).

Kershaw, A. P. (1978). Record of last interglacial–glacial cycle from northeastern Queensland. Nature 272, 159–161.
Record of last interglacial–glacial cycle from northeastern Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kershaw, A. P. (1994). Pleistocene vegetation of the humid tropics of northeastern Queensland, Australia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 109, 399–412.
Pleistocene vegetation of the humid tropics of northeastern Queensland, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kershaw, A. P., van der Kaars, S., and Flenley, J. R. (2007a). The Quaternary history of far eastern rainforests. In ‘Tropical Rainforest Responses to Climatic Change’. (Eds M. B. Bush and J. R. Flenley.) (Springer: New York.)

Kershaw, A. P., Bretherton, S. C., and van der Kaars, S. (2007b). A complete pollen record of the last 230 ka from Lynch’s Crater, north-eastern Australia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 251, 23–45.
A complete pollen record of the last 230 ka from Lynch’s Crater, north-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kikkawa, J., Monteith, G., and Ingram, G. J. (1981). Cape York Peninsula: major region of faunal interchange. In ‘Ecological Biogeography of Australia’. (Ed. A. Keast.) pp. 1695–1742. (Dr. W. Junk: The Hague.)

Krebs, C. J. (1972). ‘Ecology: the Experimental Analysis of Distribution and Abundance.’ (Harper & Row Publishers: New York.)

Legge, S., Heinsohn, R., and Garnett, S. (2004). Availability of nest hollows and breeding population size of eclectus parrots, Eclectus roratus, on Cape York Peninsula. Wildlife Research 31, 149–161.
Availability of nest hollows and breeding population size of eclectus parrots, Eclectus roratus, on Cape York Peninsula.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Leung, L. (1999a). Ecology of Australian tropical rainforest mammals. I. The Cape York antechinus, Antechinus leo (Dasyuridae: Marsupialia). Wildlife Research 26, 287–306.
Ecology of Australian tropical rainforest mammals. I. The Cape York antechinus, Antechinus leo (Dasyuridae: Marsupialia).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Leung, L. (1999b). Ecology of Australian tropical rainforest mammals. II. The Cape York melomys, Melomys capensis (Muridae: Rodentia). Wildlife Research 26, 307–316.
Ecology of Australian tropical rainforest mammals. II. The Cape York melomys, Melomys capensis (Muridae: Rodentia).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Leung, L. K.-P. (1999c). Ecology of Australian tropical rainforest mammals. III. The Cape York rat, Rattus leucopus (Muridae: Rodentia). Wildlife Research 26, 317–328.
Ecology of Australian tropical rainforest mammals. III. The Cape York rat, Rattus leucopus (Muridae: Rodentia).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Luly, J. G., Grindrod, J. F., and Penny, D. (2006). Holocene palaeoenvironments and change at Three-Quarter Mile Lake, Silver Plains Station, Cape York Peninsula, Australia. The Holocene 16, 1085–1094.
Holocene palaeoenvironments and change at Three-Quarter Mile Lake, Silver Plains Station, Cape York Peninsula, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lyons, J. A., and Natusch, D. J. O. (in press). Wildlife laundering through breeding farms illegal harvest, population declines and a means of regulating the trade of green pythons (Morelia viridis) from Indonesia. Biological Conservation.

MacKenzie, D. I., and Royle, J. A. (2005). Designing efficient occupancy studies: general advice and tips on allocation of survey effort. Journal of Applied Ecology 42, 1105–1114.
Designing efficient occupancy studies: general advice and tips on allocation of survey effort.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

MacKenzie, D. I., Nichols, J. D., Lachman, G. B., Droege, S., Royle, J. A., and Langtimm, C. L. (2002). Estimating site occupancy rates when detection probabilities are less than one. Ecology 83, 2248–2255.
Estimating site occupancy rates when detection probabilities are less than one.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Macqueen, P., Seddon, J. M., Austin, J. J., Hamilton, S., and Goldizen, A. W. (2010). Phylogenetics of the pademelons (Macropodidae: Thylogale) and historical biogeography of the Australo-Papuan region. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 57, 1134–1148.
Phylogenetics of the pademelons (Macropodidae: Thylogale) and historical biogeography of the Australo-Papuan region.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXhsFajs7zM&md5=9f28793d460fda95c5b00a27fdb2b59cCAS |

Madsen, T., Ujvari, B., Shine, R., and Olsson, M. (2006). Rain, rats and pythons: climate-driven population dynamics of predators and prey in tropical Australia. Austral Ecology 31, 30–37.
Rain, rats and pythons: climate-driven population dynamics of predators and prey in tropical Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

McArdle, B. H. (1990). When are rare species not there? Oikos 57, 276–277.
When are rare species not there?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

McDowell, S. B. (1975). A catalogue of the snakes of New Guinea and the Solomons, with special reference to those in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum. Part II. Aniliodea and Pythoninae. Journal of Herpetology 9, 1–79.
A catalogue of the snakes of New Guinea and the Solomons, with special reference to those in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum. Part II. Aniliodea and Pythoninae.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Neldner, V. J., and Clarkson, J. R. (1995). Vegetation of Cape York Peninsula. Department of Environment and Heritage, Brisbane.

Nix, H. A., and Kalma, J. D. (1972). Climate as a dominant control in the biogeography of northern Australia and New Guinea. In ‘Bridge and Barrier: the Natural and Cultural History of Torres Strait’. (Ed. D. Walker.) pp. 61–91. (Research School of Pacific Studies, ANU: Canberra.)

Norman, J. A., Rheindt, F. E., Rowe, D. L., and Christidis, L. (2007). Speciation dynamics in the Australo-Papuan Meliphaga honeyeaters. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42, 80–91.
Speciation dynamics in the Australo-Papuan Meliphaga honeyeaters.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28Xht1CgsbvK&md5=fa28009ef8e6cb31934bd065759ba481CAS |

O’Shea, M. (1996). ‘A Guide to the Snakes of Papua New Guinea.’ (Independant Publishing: Port Moresby.)

Parker, W., and Plummer, M. (1987). Population ecology. In ‘Snakes: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology’. (Eds R. Siegel, J. Collins and S. Novak.) pp. 253–301. (Macmillan Publishing Company: New York.)

Ricklefs, R. E., and Miller, G. L. (2000). ‘Ecology.’ (W.H Freeman and Co.: New York.)

Rodrigues, A. S. L., Pilgrim, J. D., Lamoreux, J. F., Hoffmann, M., and Brooks, T. M. (2006). The value of the IUCN Red List for conservation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 21, 71–76.
The value of the IUCN Red List for conservation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rowe, C. (2007a). A palynological investigation of Holocene vegetation change in Torres Strait, seasonal tropics of northern Australia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 251, 83–103.
A palynological investigation of Holocene vegetation change in Torres Strait, seasonal tropics of northern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rowe, C. (2007b). Vegetation change following mid-Holocene marine transgression of the Torres Strait shelf: a record from the island of Mua, northern Australia. The Holocene 17, 927–937.
Vegetation change following mid-Holocene marine transgression of the Torres Strait shelf: a record from the island of Mua, northern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Sasaki, K., Fox, S., and Duvall, D. (2008). Rapid evolution in the wild: changes in body size, life-history traits, and behavior in hunted populations of the Japanese Mamushi snake. Conservation Biology 23, 93–102.
Rapid evolution in the wild: changes in body size, life-history traits, and behavior in hunted populations of the Japanese Mamushi snake.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Sattler, P., and Williams, R. (1999). The conservation of Queensland’s bioregional ecosystems. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane.

Schneider, C., and Moritz, C. (1999). Rainforest refugia and evolution in Australia’s Wet Tropics. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences 266, 191–196.
Rainforest refugia and evolution in Australia’s Wet Tropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Shine, R., and Slip, D. J. (1990). Biological aspects of the adaptive radiation of Australian pythons (Serpentes: Boidae). Herpetologica 46, 283–290.

Stanton, P., and Fell, D. (2005). The rainforests of Cape York Peninsula. Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management. Rainforest CRC, Cairns.

TRAFFIC (2009). Seizures and prosecutions. TRAFFIC North America, Washington. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 155, 135–153.

Voris, H. K. (2000). Maps of Pleistocene sea levels in Southeast Asia: shorelines, river systems and time durations. Journal of Biogeography 27, 1153–1167.
Maps of Pleistocene sea levels in Southeast Asia: shorelines, river systems and time durations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Waldren, I. (1996). Rainforests of Cape York Peninsula and their exploitation by herptiles. Monitor 8, 5–14.

Webb, L., and Tracy, J. (1981). Australian rainforests: patterns and change. In ‘Ecological Biogeography of Australia’. (Ed. A. Keast.) pp. 607–694. (Dr W. Junk: The Hague.)

Webb, J. K., Brook, B. W., and Shine, R. (2002). Collectors endanger Australia’s most threatened snake the broad-headed snake Hoplicephalus bungaroides. Oryx 36, 170–181.
Collectors endanger Australia’s most threatened snake the broad-headed snake Hoplicephalus bungaroides.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Westerman, M., Springer, M. S., and Krajewski, C. (2001). Molecular relationships of the New Guinean bandicoot genera Microperoryctes and Echymipera (Marsupialia: Peramelina). Journal of Mammalian Evolution 8, 93–105.
Molecular relationships of the New Guinean bandicoot genera Microperoryctes and Echymipera (Marsupialia: Peramelina).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wilson, D., Heinsohn, R., and Endler, J. (2007). The adaptive significance of ontogenetic colour change in a tropical python. Biology Letters 3, 40–43.

Wilson, D., and Heinsohn, R. (2007). Geographic range, population structure and conservation status of the green python (Morelia viridis), a popular snake in the captive pet trade. Australian Journal of Zoology 55, 147–154.
Geographic range, population structure and conservation status of the green python (Morelia viridis), a popular snake in the captive pet trade.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wilson, D., Heinsohn, R., and Wood, J. (2006a). Life-history traits and ontogenetic colour change in an arboreal tropical python, Morelia viridis. Journal of Zoology 270, 399–407.
Life-history traits and ontogenetic colour change in an arboreal tropical python, Morelia viridis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wilson, D., Heinsohn, R., and Legge, S. (2006b). Age- and sex-related differences in the spatial ecology of a dichromatic tropical python (Morelia viridis). Austral Ecology 31, 577–587.
Age- and sex-related differences in the spatial ecology of a dichromatic tropical python (Morelia viridis).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Woodroffe, S. A. (2009). Testing models of mid to late Holocene sea-level change, North Queensland, Australia. Quaternary Science Reviews 28, 2474–2488.
Testing models of mid to late Holocene sea-level change, North Queensland, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Yu, K. F., and Zhao, J. X. (2010). U-series dates of Great Barrier Reef corals suggest at least +0.7 m sea level similar to 7000 years ago. The Holocene 20, 161–168.
U-series dates of Great Barrier Reef corals suggest at least +0.7 m sea level similar to 7000 years ago.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |