Notechis scutatus
Silhouette: Michael Scroggie, from original photograph by Gary M. Stolz, USFWS (original photograph in public domain). · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) is a large and highly venomous snake of southern Australia, including its coastal islands and Tasmania. These snakes are often observed and locally well known by their banding, black and yellow like a tiger, although the species can be highly variable in colouration and patterning. All populations are classified within the genus Notechis (Elapidae). Their diverse characteristics have been classified either as distinct species or by subspecies and regional variation.
While tiger snakes are usually ground-dwelling, they are able to swim as well as climb into trees and buildings. The genus Notechis is in the elapid family, venomous snakes with fixed front fangs. The classification of this genus is given as a single and highly variable species, Notechis scutatus, or a second species Notechis ater, and by an arrangement of subspecies or regional morphs.
A 2016 genetic analysis showed that the closest relative of the tiger snakes is the rough-scaled snake (Tropidechis carinatus). Wikipedia →
Recording0:03
Australia · 2023
© J E Nash · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Flinders Chase | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Melbourne Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Perth Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | East Coast Natureworld | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Sydney Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Touroparc Zoo | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 9 | Reptile Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Australian Reptile Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Symbio Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Sea Life Sydney Aquarium | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 15 | Wild Life Sydney | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Ranger Red’s Zoo & Conservation Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Tiger Snake sighting in Royal National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 32nd most-seen of the 37 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and April
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Tiger Snake in Royal National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March, May–July and September–December, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Tiger Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
11th of 11
Of the 11 parks where we can rate Eastern Tiger Snake sightings, Royal National Park ranks 11th at about 10%. The best odds are in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park (Australia, about 60%), Wilsons Promontory National Park (Australia, about 50%) and Maria Island National Park (Australia, about 50%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Elapidae
The closest relatives of the Eastern Tiger Snake that you can see in Royal National Park (family Elapidae, Elapid Snakes) are Red-bellied Black Snake (about 30%), Yellow-faced Whipsnake (about 20%) and Golden Crowned Snake (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Eastern Tiger Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Royal National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
