An Amethystine python sleeping by the side of Lake Barrine, Queensland, Australia
The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It is located west to south-south-west inland from Cairns. Although it is in the tropical latitudes, its elevated position provides a climate suitable for dairy farming. It has an area of around 32,000 km2 with an altitude ranging between 500 and 1,280 m (1,640 and 4,200 ft). The fertility of the soils in the region can be attributed to the volcanic origins of the land. The principal river flowing across the plateau is the Barron River. It was dammed to form an irrigation reservoir named Lake Tinaroo. Tinaroo Hydro, a small Hydroelectric power station is located near the spillway. The amethystine python (Morelia amethistina), also known as the scrub python or sanca permata locally, is a nonvenomous species of snake found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Popular among reptile enthusiasts, and noted for its coloration and size, it is one of the six largest snakes in the world, as measured either by length or weight, and is the largest native snake in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Currently, four subspecies of the nominate race, M. a. amethystina, are generally recognized. The Mollucan Islands, including Halmahera, Ternate, and Tidore, are home to M. a. tracyei. The Tanimbar Islands are home to a smaller subspecies, M. a. nauta. On the island of Seram, M. a. clastolepis can be found, and mainland PNG (including the Indonesian western half, once called Irian Jaya—now West Papua) and many of its near offshore islands, M. a. amethystina is quite common. In Australia, M. a. kinghorni is represented
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Lake Barrine, QLD, Australia
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -venomous, amethystine, atherton, australia, boat, close-, cruise, forest, kinghorni, land, morelia, north, permata, python, queensland, rain, reptile, sanca, scrub, snake, table, wild
