Episode 1526
Red-bellied black snake
Fri, 2021-Jul-09 00:52 UTC
Length - 2:13
Direct Link
Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day where we read the summary of the featured Wikipedia article every day.
The featured article for Friday, 9 July 2021 is Red-bellied black snake.
The red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is indigenous to Australia. Originally described by George Shaw in 1794 as a species new to science, it is one of eastern Australia's most commonly encountered snakes. Averaging around 1.25 m (4 ft 1 in) in length, it has glossy black upperparts, bright red or orange flanks, and a pink or dull red belly. It is not an aggressive species and generally retreats from encounters with people, but can attack if provoked. Although its venom is capable of causing significant illness, no deaths have been recorded from its bite, which is less venomous than other Australian elapid snakes. The venom contains neurotoxins, myotoxins, and coagulants and has haemolytic properties; victims can also lose their sense of smell.
Common in woodlands, forests and swamplands, the red-bellied black snake often ventures into nearby urban areas. It forages in bodies of shallow water, commonly with tangles of water plants and logs, where it hunts its main prey item, frogs, as well as fish, reptiles, and small mammals. The snake is considered to be a least-concern species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, but its numbers are thought to be declining due to habitat fragmentation and decline of frog populations.
This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:52 UTC on Friday, 9 July 2021.
For the full current version of the article, see Red-bellied black snake on Wikipedia.
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This has been Russell Standard. Thank you for listening to featured Wiki of the Day.
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