Video: Goanna Attacks Western Brown Snake At The Kangaroo Sanctuary in Australia

November 20, 2015

A Western brown snake (Pseudonaja nuchalis) was crawling around the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs, Aus., when the folks at the sanctuary began to monitor the snake to ensure it didn’t harm anyone in the facility or the kangaroos. Seemingly out of nowhere, an Australian monitor lizard (Varanus sp.), called goannas Down Under, appeared on the scene and clamped its jaws onto the neck of the snake. The goanna then began to thrash the snake until it died and then ate the snake. And the folks at the sanctuary were happy that no baby kangaroos were harmed by the venomous snake. 

Western brown snakes are highly venomous Australian snakes that grown to around 4 to 5 feet in length and can be found throughout much of Australia, including the Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia, and into Viçtoria. 

Goannas are of the Varanus family, of which there are 25 known species in Australia. They feed on live and dead animals and are found throughout most of Australia except Tasmania. 

John Virata keeps a western hognose snake, a ball python, two corn snakes, a king snake, and two leopard geckos. His first snake, a California kingsnake, was purchased for $5. His first pet reptile was a green anole that arrived in a small box via mail order. Follow him on Twitter @johnvirata