Python takes dip in yard
Drought brings out odd behaviour
GOWRIE Junction resident Jean Gundry didn’t expect to see a carpet python taking a dip in her backyard.
Mrs Gundry said with the drought worsening, she and her husband Ben witnessed some interesting animal behaviours at the weekend.
“The strange behaviour has been going on for the past three days,” Mrs Gundry said.
“On Saturday, we witnessed the pythons performing an arboreal mating ritual which lasted for hours.
“On Sunday we found the male python in our bird bath which is 1.5m off the ground.”
More drama unfolded at the Gundrys’ property on Monday when a second male python emerged from a nearby bush and a fight ensued.
“After hours of comings and goings, we witnessed an amazing duel between the two males,” Mrs Gundry said.
“The vanquished rival spent the night in the down pipe, only to emerge reluctantly this morning.”
The couple has kept its lawn green for wallabies who come into the garden in numbers seeking water and food every morning.
“All of my plants have been eaten except for the ones in wire cages,” Mrs Gundry said.
“We have also seen echidnas drinking from the bird waterers.
“Each morning, I fill in the excavations in my lawn left by foraging echidnas, bandicoots and hares.
“We hope the carpet pythons will vanish back into the bush or the roof cavity soon, but all three of them aren’t showing any signs of moving any-time soon.”