Pseudechis porphyriacus AKA The Red Belly Black Snake
This beautiful serpent shares our love of sunshine and water, and is a familiar sight to many outdoor adventurers in eastern Australia. Attitudes towards these largely inoffensive snakes are slowly changing, however they are still often seen as a dangerous menace and unjustly persecuted.
The Red Belly Black's head is barely distinguishable from the body as there is no obvious constricted neck area. This snake is dangerously venomous, but bites are rare because it is usually a placid and fairly docile snake, preferring to enact a lengthy bluff display with flattened neck and deep hisses rather than bite. It grows to a length of 2.5m and is a very distinctive snake because of its simple and unvarying coloration. The upper surface of this snake is glossy black while the belly is light pink to brilliant red. The only other snake with a similar appearance is the small-eyed snake, but in this species the red belly colour is not visible unless the snake is turned over, whereas the red of the red-bellied black snake extends up the lower flanks.
Red Belly Black Snakes eat other snakes including Brown Snakes, however just because you see a RBBS doesn't mean there are no Brown Snakes around so be careful.
You won't need to worry about the cache. This one is made from rubber. But remember to keep a look where you are walking when out in the bush for the real kind.
