Red-bellied black snake

Red-bellied Black Otter ( Pseudechis porphyriacus )

The red-bellied black otter or Rotbauchschwarzotter ( Pseudechis porphyriacus ) is a snake of the family Elapidae ( Elapidae ). She has a shiny black coat of scales and a red belly. It can be up to 3 m long and eats small frogs, fish, reptiles and mammals.

Distribution and habitat

The red-bellied black otter lives in eastern Australia, their range extends from northern Queensland to South Australia to the south-east. It prefers wetlands, grasslands and forested regions and is bound to the near standing or flowing waters.

Way of life

The red-bellied black otter is mostly diurnal, on warm nights but also nocturnal. You can swim very well and hunts mainly frogs and fish, which they captured accordingly in the water. It also eats small mammals, lizards (even the giant Stachelskink ) and small birds. A litter of this type consists of eight to 40 young snakes.

Toxic effects in humans

As with most of the fanged snakes, the venom of the black otters mainly of neurotoxins and accordingly leads to paralysis, especially of the respiratory center. The poison of this type is commonly regarded as not very dangerous to humans, and the snake is also considered a very bit lazy, deadly bite accidents, however, are known.