Canid predation: a potentially significant threat to relic populations of the Inland Carpet Python Morelia spilota metcalfei (Pythonidae) in Victoria.

In Victoria's contemporary rural environments, introduced predators may represent the principal predatory threat to many large, non-venomous reptile species. We present circumstantial evidence that introduced canids are predators of the Inland Carpet Python Morelia spilota metcalfei, using data collected during a radio-telemetric study of the sub-species' ecology across northern Victoria. Seven pythons (23% of those tracked) were killed by predators during the study, and evidence collected during transmitter retrieval suggested that foxes or wild dogs were involved in six of these cases (the seventh having been eaten by a goanna). Evidence includes the recovery of transmitters from fox den sites, their partial burial in several cases (consistent with caching behaviour) and damage to each transmitter consistent with chewing by a fox or dog (teeth marks in the silicon coating, puncture of the metal housing). Given the abundance of canids (specifically foxes) within these study sites, their ability to prey on carpet pythons, and evidence of their involvement with these predation events, we conclude that canid predation was the primary cause of death for each of these six snakes, and represents a potentially significant issue for carpet python conservation in Victoria. Suggestions for canid control programs and habitat management to minimise this threat to remaining populations of this endangered snake are offered.