Notechis sp
17% of snakebites in Australia
these are also the main snakes living in Tasmania (where a sub species, the Black Tiger snake also resides)
relatively poor eyesight and slower moving than a brown and thus more likely to be trodden upon
in Victoria, the species is the Mainland Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatis) which usually grows to 0.9m but can grow to 2m and prefers coastal areas and wetlands
these snakes flatten their body and raise their heads if threatened
they can live 10-15 years and average 1-1.2m in length
are good swimmers and can stay underwater for at least up to 9 minutes to avoid terrestrial predators
they are solitary and only interact with other Tiger snakes when they mate in Spring and at this time the males can be aggressive and fight other males for up to 7 hours for mating rights. The female gives birth to 20-30 independent snakelets in late Summer.
they are generally slow moving, docile (unless threatened) and diurnal - hunting at night only on warm nights
diet is mainly frogs, tadpoles, lizards and carrion, but will also take small mammals, bats, insect, birds, and fish while the larger Chappell Island tiger snakes will also prey on fat muttonbird chickens
their main predators are other snakes (adult tiger snakes will often eat juveniles) including the small-eyed snake (Cryptophis nigrescens) (a nocturnal snake found in eastern Australia between northern Cape York Peninsula in Queensland and eastern Victoria) and birds of prey such as harriers, goshawks, butcherbirds, ibises, kookaburras and kites.
in cooler weather, they aestivate in animal burrows as deep as 1.2m, under large boulders or dead trees. But they may also be found basking outside on warmer winter days.