A nocturnal Indo-Pacific colubrid notorious for invading Guam and devastating the island's native bird fauna.
Description
A slender brown to reddish-tan snake with darker irregular crossbands, a flattened triangular head, and very large eyes with vertical pupils suited to night hunting. Adults usually reach 1 to 2 m and have a slight, wiry build that lets them climb almost any surface.
Behavior
The brown tree snake is a mildly venomous rear-fanged hunter that climbs into tree canopies and rafters in search of birds and bats. It is best known for accidentally colonising Guam after WWII, where it caused the extinction or near-extinction of 10 native forest bird species.
Range
Native to a wide area of Melanesia and the northern Australian coast. Its introduction to Guam is one of the most damaging biological invasions on record, and biosecurity agencies maintain intensive interdiction at the island’s ports and airfield.
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