# Carnac Island, WA



## urodacus_au (May 20, 2008)

Carnac is a small island off the coast of Perth in WA. We took a mates boat out for a quick herp and some fishing in late March. The island is well known for its dense Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) population so we were hoping to find a few. We beached the boat on the island just before lunch and went for a wander....

Carnac from the water, these small limestone caves are found along a lot of the islands perimetre. Tiger snake and King skink (Egernia kingii) tracks are easily identified in the fine dust inside the caves.






Male Australian Sealions lounging on the beach. They arent bothered by the presence of humans and will often enter the water if people are swimming in the area. That said, they should still be shown respect in and out of the water.





The scrub is low and thick but there are a few 'tracks' that head along the outskirts of the island. A view from one of the higher points.....





We didnt realise at the time but it was breeding season with gulls and cormorants using any available space to build nests. The gulls tend to nest more towards the centre of the island where the cormorants stick to the fringes. The noise was almost unbearable at times if the birds were spooked so we attempted to keep as low a profile as possible. 

Pied Cormorants (Phalacrocorax varius) nesting....





After taking the last shot of the surroundings my mate yelled that there was something sitting in a cave below my feet. Just as he got the last word out the cliff gave way and i ended up on my **** at the bottom of the dropoff :lol: The dropoff to the right of the photo...





Turns out the 'something' was an adult Tiger snake. Due to its damaged eyes (or head damage) it wasnt very responsive and wasnt defensive in the least.





These snakes feed on the hatchling gull chicks and cop a battering from the adult birds while doing it. This animal was covered in old wounds and scars, plus a healthy layer of bird poop. Not an easy life for Carnac tigers by the looks of things.





The only other herp we came across was a small King skink hiding under a bush. It didnt hang around long enough for any photos. It wasnt exactly prime conditions but it was good to get atleast one snake, i hadnt been to Carnac for a look since i was a kid. Next time we'll try for better conditions and see what else turns up.

Cheers
Jordan


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## bump73 (May 20, 2008)

Nice pics....is that the place that was in David Attenboroughs "Life in cold blood" that was on tv a few weeks ago????....showed the tiger snakes getting nailed by the birds, so much so that heaps of them end up blind..

Ben


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## urodacus_au (May 20, 2008)

Id expect so, havent seen the show yet though. The wound on the top of that snakes head was a shocker, deep wide depression. Rough life.

Jordan


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## hazzard (May 20, 2008)

About time UNO, now get this forum cranking son!

Amazing stunning shots!


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## smacdonald (May 21, 2008)

Nice pics, Jordan! I love the island tigers on the south and west coasts. Next time I'm in WA you'll have to take me out there.


Stewart


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## iceman (May 21, 2008)

once again man some great pic's


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## Ishah (May 21, 2008)

Awesome shots Uro! Absolutely stunning! Poor blind tiger tho...Kinda feel sorry for him...


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## moloch05 (May 22, 2008)

Very interesting report, Jordan. How far off Perth is Carnac? It looks like a very interesting place to visit.

Regards,
David


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## dintony (May 22, 2008)

Is that the place where tigers only feed once a year? 

Awesome pics.... Well done!


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## dintony (May 22, 2008)

The water is so blue!!


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## jordo (May 22, 2008)

Nice pics! Would be great to see sealions in the wild.


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## urodacus_au (May 25, 2008)

Carnac is approx. 10 kms south west of Fremantle. I live a bit further south, the distance from where we launch would be even less than that. Im pretty sure they do tours out there, but then your tied in and cant take your time. 
The sealions are fine when theyre on the island, not much good when they take your live baits then strip $100 worth of braid off your reel 

Din, i think your probably talking about the Chappell Island tigers, theyve been on TV a few times in the past. Not sure about the feeding habits of these animals, there is alternate prey on the island but not as much of it.

Cheers
Jordan


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## ryanharvey1993 (May 25, 2008)

nice pics jordan, on one of the steve irwin episodes he goes there, would suck to be a snake there having the birds peck your eyes out.


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## mikep (May 26, 2008)

nice pics. this island was the one on life in cold blood. and it stated how many are blind due to the birds but because its the island where they birds breed the snakes have an endless amount of defensless chicks to eat. the blindness does not stop them from survivng. simple lives but effective.


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## younglion2 (May 26, 2008)

Yeah mon those tigers were a good size. They must be warriors for their whole life is a war.


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## whiteyluvsrum (May 26, 2008)

nice shots! did ya catch any fish???


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## gillsy (May 26, 2008)

No this island wasn't on Life in Cold Blood, that was Chappel Island.


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## urodacus_au (May 26, 2008)

Got a few good tailer on lures around the side of the island, plenty there but we didnt have much time. Return trip is a bit dodgy in a little boat when the sea breeze comes in :lol:


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## slim6y (May 26, 2008)

Stupendous pics dude! 

Were any of those seals into clubbing?

Where's Fred Hollows when you need him aye?

Well done Uro


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## adderboy (May 26, 2008)

gillsy said:


> No this island wasn't on Life in Cold Blood, that was Chappel Island.



No, it was definitely Carnac Island. Check the DVD when it comes out, Gillsy. I know some poople who were on Carnac with Attenborough and caught the tigers for him.

Great photos, Jordan. I've never bee there, but the tigers look much the same as those on Garden Island, and I suspect they cop a beating from protective gulls, too!

S


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## urodacus_au (May 26, 2008)

Well, one used to hang around in the fishing boat harbour behind the Zanzibar, never know :lol: With the way some of the people dressed in that place he might have just been after a one nighter.....

Have to get over there next season Simon, talk Chris into getting a bigger boat  Do you know if a decent fauna survey has been conducted on the Island? Be interested to know what other herp species are found there.

Cheers
Jordan


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## Pike01 (May 26, 2008)

Great photos.Any pics of the king skinks?


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## Creed (May 26, 2008)

There is another big sea lion that hangs around out the back of penguin island.

Pretty famous for its huge shark bite out of its back........year after year you see it and it always looke like fresh wound on its back.

Seems to be able to move okay though. Lets you know when you are a little too close.


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## gillsy (May 26, 2008)

I'll check now already got in on my pc.


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## urodacus_au (May 26, 2008)

None of the Carnac skinks Pike, one we saw legged it before i got a chance for pics. Havent got many of the species overall, and no good ones.

This is one from further down the coast, tried to get closer but it jammed itself in the crack about 3 seconds after this photo 






Cheers
Jordan


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