Demansia psammophis
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The yellow-faced whip snake (Demansia psammophis) is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae, a family containing many dangerous snakes. D. psammophis is endemic to Australia, found throughout the continent in a variety of habitats from coastal fringes to interior arid scrubland.
The yellow-faced whip snake is part of the genus Demansia, a group of venomous snakes in the family Elapidae. This genus is composed of whip snakes, characterized by their large eyes and whip-like tail. The genus Demansia is commonly found in the Southern hemisphere around Australia and equatorial countries such as Papua New Guinea. 15 species are assigned to the genus Demansia.
D. psammophis is a thin snake with a narrow head. It grows up to a total length (tail included) of 1 m (39 in), averaging around 80 cm (31 in), females being slightly smaller than males. Characterized by its narrow yellowish head, pale ring around the eyes, and a dark marking curving along the upper lip, D. psammophis becomes distinguishable from other Demansia snakes. Juveniles can be distinguished as a white-edged dark line is seen across the snout. The large prominent eyes surrounded by... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-faced Whipsnake sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 33 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 26th most-seen of the 39 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–April and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-faced Whipsnake in Sydney on a given day, against under 5% in May–October and December, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Yellow-faced Whipsnake sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Yellow-faced Whipsnake sightings, Sydney ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Brisbane (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Elapidae
The closest relatives of the Yellow-faced Whipsnake that you can see in Sydney (family Elapidae, Elapid Snakes) are Red-bellied Black Snake (about 20%), Golden Crowned Snake (about 10%) and Eastern Brown Snake (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Yellow-faced Whipsnake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Sydney (33 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
