ABSTRACT
Some Australian snakes are among the most highly venomous worldwide. The most important cause of snakebite mortality in Australia is the Eastern Brownsnake, reflecting this species’ ability to exploit the rich rodent resources subsidized by commercial agriculture. Although these snakes have a fearsome reputation, detailed monitoring with radio transmitters showed that they are inoffensive creatures, which would rather retreat from a person’s approach than attack. The telemetry also showed that Brownsnakes are more sedentary than expected, despite their high-potential mobility. Another high-profile deadly Australian snake is the Tigersnake. This species has been marooned on many offshore islands over evolutionary time, providing a unique opportunity to explore how a population adapts to new food resources via processes such as genetic assimilation.
