Reptile
Rough-scaled Python
Morelia carinataAlso known as Carinated Python
Restricted to the rugged sandstone gorges of Australia's remote north-west Kimberley, rough-scaled pythons are among the rarest and most localized constrictors on Earth. Their remarkably coarse, heavily keeled scales provide superior traction across wet rock faces and monsoon vine thickets while ambush-hunting for small marsupials and birds. Elusive and primarily nocturnal, they spend daylight hours tucked into deep crevices before emerging to drape motionless from branch forks or ledges under cover of darkness.
NocturnalArborealReptile
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyNative rodents, Small marsupials, Birds
Predators
- Birds of prey
- Dingo
- Goannas
ThreatsAltered fire regimes, feral predators, and illegal collection for the pet trade
HabitatsSandstone gorges, monsoon vine forests, and rugged rock outcrops
Life span15–25 years
Classification
- FamilyPythonidae
- GenusMorelia
- SpeciesMorelia carinata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Non-venomous constrictor, but capable of delivering a painful defensive bite; observe quietly from a respectful distance.
- Why it is dangerous
- Possesses sharp, recurved teeth designed to secure prey, which can inflict painful lacerations prone to secondary bacterial infection.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Identified by heavily keeled dorsal scales giving a rough texture, pale brown body with dark blotches, and a broad angular head.
- What to do
- Maintain a respectful viewing distance, never reach into dark crevices, and do not attempt to restrain wild snakes.
- What to notice
- Recognized by noticeably rough, raised scales, large forward-facing eyes, and sensory pits on the lower jaw.
- Support conservation
- Never share precise GPS coordinates of wild encounters and minimize spotlight illumination during nocturnal observation.
Responsible observation
- Rocky crevices: Scan sandstone outcrops and vine thickets in the Kimberley at night with a torch.
- Safe distance: Avoid cornering or handling, as adults have long teeth and strike when harassed.
Sympatric Python (c) S J Bennett, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Potential Predator (c) John Tann, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Image unavailablePrey 
Close Relative Amos T Fairchild / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative "Green Tree Python" by MSVG is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
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