Red-bellied Black Snake
Pseudechis porphyriacus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyElapidae (Elapid Snakes)
- GenusPseudechis (Australian Black Snakes)
- SpeciesPseudechis porphyriacus (Red-bellied Black Snake)
The red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is indigenous to Australia. Originally described by George Shaw in 1794 as a species new to science, it is one of eastern Australia's most commonly encountered snakes. Averaging around 1.25 m (4 ft 1 in) in total length (tail included), it has glossy black upperparts, bright red or orange flanks, and a pink or dull red belly. It is not aggressive and generally retreats from human encounters, but will defend itself if provoked. Although its venom can cause significant illness, no deaths have been recorded from its bite, which is less venomous than other Australian elapid snakes. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Red-bellied Black Snake sighting in Daintree National Park, based on 57 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Daintree National Park
Small-eyed Snake
Cryptophis nigrescens
Bar-bellied Sea Snake
Hydrophis elegans
Black-bellied Swamp Snake
Hemiaspis signata
Rough-scaled Snake
Tropidechis carinatus
Northern Death Adder
Acanthophis praelongus
Grey-naped Snake
Furina tristis
Greater Sea Snake
Hydrophis major
Olive Sea Snake
Aipysurus laevis
Black Whip Snake
Demansia vestigiata
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Red-bellied Black Snake in Daintree National Park?
About 25% of wildlife watchers report a Red-bellied Black Snake sighting in Daintree National Park, based on 57 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Red-bellied Black Snake in Daintree National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Red-bellied Black Snake in Daintree National Park in our monthly data.