# Are these "snake tracks"?



## Karly (Oct 4, 2011)

Took the dog for a walk along a track near home yesterday and found these tracks in the dust. Are they from a snake? They went for about 500m up the track and veered of into the long grass a few times. I had a look around to see if I could find the snake but wasn't keen on going into the grass, especially with the dog!
I think I'll keep going back there to look, I might spot him one day!


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## Pythoninfinite (Oct 4, 2011)

Look like monitor tracks to me. In fact they are... Snake tracks look much more like a hose has been dragged along the ground.

You can see the footprints alongside the tail-drag...

Jamie


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## Enlil (Oct 4, 2011)

I would also say it is a goanna, but lacking the body drag, so must have been walking with the body off the ground. The drag you see is the tail being turneded from side to side by the actions ot the legs moving forwards then backwards.


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## Bluetonguesblack (Oct 4, 2011)

I agree.


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## saratoga (Oct 4, 2011)

Definately monitor tracks and in both cases moving towards the photographer. Apart from the footprints on either side of the track, the tracks are far too regular(like a sine wave) to be from a snake


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## Karly (Oct 4, 2011)

Awesome thanks guys! Can't wait to get home and walk the dog again now! 
Nothing better than seeing reptiles in the wild, especially monitors


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## waruikazi (Oct 4, 2011)

Snake tracks look more like this.


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## Karly (Oct 4, 2011)

Thanks Gordo I can see the difference now, the snake tracks pattern isn't as consistent as the ones in my pics.


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## tropicbreeze (Oct 4, 2011)

Definitely goanna. V. panoptes will leave tracks like that. V. mertensi will leave a straight line track, but both will have the small footprints. Crocs can leave tracks like those but the pads on the footprints are much larger. A snake pushes its body against the ground and that becomes evident in the tracks.


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## zacthefrog (Oct 4, 2011)

the gouldis hold there body's up above the ground quite often, but i have to agree on the V.panoptes ^^^


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## slim6y (Oct 4, 2011)

waruikazi said:


> Snake tracks look more like this.



Gordo - now show what sort of a smart cookie you are and tell us: a) the direction the snake(s) was travelling in and b) the reason you chose the answer



Always loved croc dundee.... "How'd he know....?"

"Because it's over there...."

PS - can you also tell the type of snake? The approximate age? What it had for dinner?

I always found tracks interesting... Loved trying to follow roo tracks with the two big paws and the tail smacking into the ground... It's all forensics really (modern day tracking)....


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## r3ptilian (Oct 4, 2011)

The snake was movin from top of pic to bottom, you can clearly see the dirt pushed back from each movement of the serpentine action.......


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## waruikazi (Oct 4, 2011)

It/they were heading West Slimey because the other tracks were heading East. 



slim6y said:


> Gordo - now show what sort of a smart cookie you are and tell us: a) the direction the snake(s) was travelling in and b) the reason you chose the answer
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The motion is actually called 'Lateral Undulation,' when the snake slithers from side to side as opposed to 'Concertina Motion,' where the snake will crinkle itself up and then push itself forward like like and accordian.



r3ptilian said:


> The snake was movin from top of pic to bottom, you can clearly see the dirt pushed back from each movement of the serpentine action.......


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