Carnac Island, WA

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urodacus_au

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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.
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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.
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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.....
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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....
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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...
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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.
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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.
carnac.jpg


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

Regards,
David
 
Nice pics! Would be great to see sealions in the wild.
 
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
 
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.
 
Yeah mon those tigers were a good size. They must be warriors for their whole life is a war.
 
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:
 
Stupendous pics dude!

Were any of those seals into clubbing?

Where's Fred Hollows when you need him aye?

Well done Uro :)
 
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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