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Project status: completed

Last week, I released my last snake back into the wild. Total, I was able to collect data from 20 snakes, including three northern tree snakes. For common tree snakes, I worked with 6 captive snakes held the Cairns aquarium, 5 wild snakes living in the Daintree, and 6 wild snakes living around the Sunshine Coast.


I found that the tree snakes were less willing to jump across horizontal gaps than the flying snakes I've studied, and their jumps looked somewhat different from those of the flying snakes. I had thought the jumping would be pretty much the same between the two groups, so the differences are quite exciting for me. I am looking forward to analyzing the data more closely to see precisely where these difference lie.


One cool thing is that I was able to collect data from snakes at a bunch of different sizes, including tiny hatchlings and very large adults. I found that there might some behavioral changes relating to size and/or age. Scaling relationships, where performance changes with size, are quite common in biomechanics, so this isn't unexpected. It looks like snakes that are larger are less able to jump relative to their body size, but whether this is an effect of willingness vs ability is not clear.


Hatchling snake just before release back into the wild. So cute!

Part of the study was focused on reaching ability, where I was hoping to be able to determine the limit of the snake's ability to stretch forward off the branch. Unfortunately, I was not usually able to get the snakes to reach the limit of their performance. I had thought there was a good chance that the snakes would not be willing to extend as far as possible, and would turn back before they hit that limit, and I was right. But in animal research you always have to be prepared for the animals not to be willing to do exactly what you want them to do! Although I will only be able to discuss maximum reaching ability for a few of the snakes, looking at when the snakes choose to stop reaching or transition to lunging and comparing that with the flying snakes is still very interesting.


Overall, the study went pretty much as well as I could have hoped for! I couldn't have done it without a lot of help, and I would like to thank the Cape Tribulation community (particularly Chris and Michelle), the staff at the Daintree Rainforest Observatory, and Richie at Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers for all the tips and snake catching assistance. Everyone I talked to in Australia was absolutely lovely and keen to help out, and I really would not have been anywhere near as successful without their support.

 

My project has been made possible by generous support from the National Geographic Society, the Company of Biologists, and the VT Graduate Student Association

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