tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post5995973121161508108..comments2024-01-04T05:26:02.451-07:00Comments on Life is short, but snakes are long: Are there any countries without snakes?Andrew Dursohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04720822623046554913noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-17968107536940637602019-02-23T04:04:50.086-07:002019-02-23T04:04:50.086-07:00Actually Madeira has introduced Brahminy Blindsnak...Actually Madeira has introduced Brahminy Blindsnakes, although the Azores don't have any snakes.Andrew Dursohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04720822623046554913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-22078815794339980732019-02-12T09:57:08.160-07:002019-02-12T09:57:08.160-07:00None of the Portuguese islands have snakes on them...None of the Portuguese islands have snakes on them, neither Madeira or Azores- all snake-free. Also Canaruy islands as far as I know out of 9 isçands only 1 island has (imported) non-venomous snakes.Azoreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03998584861350383582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-31282203568130430812018-08-31T00:07:14.470-06:002018-08-31T00:07:14.470-06:00Thanks. I didn't include the Faroe Islands bec...Thanks. I didn't include the Faroe Islands because they are politically a part of Denmark, which does have snakes on the mainland. I didn't include the Shetlands or the Orkneys either for the same reason. There's a list of other such places (including the Faroes!) in the 2nd to last paragraph.Andrew Dursohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04720822623046554913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-88661277936724373012018-05-31T12:55:07.012-06:002018-05-31T12:55:07.012-06:00I have to tell you. Faroe Islands (a small group o...I have to tell you. Faroe Islands (a small group of islands between Norway and Iceland) are also snake free.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04826833746484265996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-11330823725090991262018-05-20T23:30:31.651-06:002018-05-20T23:30:31.651-06:00The only large species of snake from Barbados, the...The only large species of snake from Barbados, the Tan Groundsnake (Erythrolamprus perfuscus) was eradicated by mongeese. But, happily, two small species of blinsnakes (Tetracheilostoma bilineatum and T. carlae) survived. In fact, T. carlae is the smallest species of snake in the world, at just 10.4 cm maximum size! In addition, the Brahminy Blindsnake (Indotyphlops braminus) mentioned above is introduced to Barbados.<br /><br />http://www.hedgeslab.net/pubs/199.pdf<br /><br />http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/advanced_search?taxon=Serpentes&location=barbados&submit=SearchAndrew Dursohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04720822623046554913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-63973396009266735102018-05-20T17:23:05.901-06:002018-05-20T17:23:05.901-06:00There are no snakes on Barbados island. I think th...There are no snakes on Barbados island. I think they were eradicated in the 1900s by the imported mongoose. whirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04622303325370224133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-40885219621496409172015-10-31T06:35:00.961-06:002015-10-31T06:35:00.961-06:00Thanks for your thoughtful comment Mike. There cer...Thanks for your thoughtful comment Mike. There certainly is a lot more to the question "Are there snakes in New Zealand?" than I ever thought. I would argue that most people probably don't think of the Chatham and Kermadec Islands when they think of New Zealand; probably most people have never even heard of them, especially outside of NZ. I do think it's possible that snakes could be there, especially in the subtropical Kermadecs, most likely sea snakes but possibly others as well (look at those Micronesian blindsnakes!). On the other hand, if there were snakes there, saying that NZ has snakes for that reason would be like saying that there are Brown Treesnakes in the USA because they are on Guam—technically accurate, but somewhat misleading. It's certainly true that the vast majority of the North and South Islands have no snakes, most of the time (unconfirmed reports of Austrelaps notwithstanding). That's one of the things I like most about snakes—they are always surprising us!Andrew Dursohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04720822623046554913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-58748148235564826922015-10-31T03:35:47.457-06:002015-10-31T03:35:47.457-06:00You mentioned the Chatham and Kermadec Island grou...You mentioned the Chatham and Kermadec Island groups, both of which are governed by New Zealand and therefore part of NZ.. I guess if there were snake populations there New Zealand wouldn't be considered snake free?<br />An interesting point. Since the late 1800's unconfirmed reports have popped every now and then, of a small population of Australian copperheads on the rugged isolated west coast of the south islands. While none of these reports have been officaly confirmed , given the areas isolation and lack of human inhabitants and the copperheads secrecy it's not inconceivable that there is something to these report...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11330125524896085076noreply@blogger.com