Fungal Disease Raises Alarm for Queensland's Native Snakes
- Nhanta
- 3 minutes ago
- 4 min read
A serious fungal disease is emerging as a new threat to Queensland's native reptiles. Snake catchers on the Sunshine Coast are reporting more snakes with suspicious skin lesions, and wildlife veterinarians warn the infection could have devastating consequences for already vulnerable populations.
The disease, known as snake fungal disease or ophidiomycosis, is caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophidiicola. It was first confirmed in free-ranging Australian reptiles through recent research on sick snakes and lizards from south-east Queensland, which also detected two related pathogens, Nannizziopsis barbatae and Paranannizziopsis. These represent the first known reports of O. ophidiicola and Paranannizziopsis in free-ranging Australian reptiles.
A worrying discovery
Sunshine Coast snake catcher Summer Woolston, of Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers, has described catching an influx of suspected cases — snakes with brown scabs, stuck or abnormal shedding, and animals presenting lethargic and underweight. She's noted that case numbers seem to rise in rainy, colder conditions.
Other cases have involved eastern brown snakes and carpet pythons — species commonly encountered in south-east Queensland.
The first documented Australian case in a wild reptile was an eastern bandy-bandy found in south-east Queensland in 2024, which died overnight with generalised dermatitis; a coastal carpet python, euthanased for severe skin lesions, was the second. Testing has since found the fungus in further pythons and a white-crowned snake, plus related infections in eastern water dragons and bearded dragons.
The discovery is especially concerning because Australia has the world's greatest diversity of reptile species, most found nowhere else. A disease spreading through wild populations could affect animals that simply cannot be replaced.
What the disease does
Snake fungal disease mainly affects the skin, particularly the scales and tissue around the head, underside and tail. Early signs can be hard to distinguish from an ordinary injury or shedding problem.
Possible symptoms include:
Yellow, brown or grey discolouration
Crusted, thickened or ulcerated skin
Swelling, or scales that look rotten or loose
Abnormal or incomplete shedding
Non-healing wounds and bleeding
Weight loss, lethargy and weakness
As infection progresses, lesions can extend into deeper tissue. A snake unable to shed properly may become increasingly distressed, and damage around the mouth can make feeding difficult. Severe cases can lead to emaciation, secondary infection and death.
"Snake fungal disease" technically refers to O. ophidiicola, but related fungi cause similarly severe disease. Wildlife Health Australia reports that Nannizziopsis barbatae has caused a substantial outbreak among eastern water dragons in Brisbane's parklands. The infection spreads through both direct contact and contaminated environments.
How it spreads
Researchers are still investigating the fungi's origins and reach. One possibility is introduction via the illegal pet trade — captive reptiles can carry pathogens without obvious signs, and infection could reach wild populations if animals or equipment are released outdoors. Fungi may also spread through contact with infected animals or contaminated soil and shelter sites, and unclean snake-catching equipment could unintentionally assist transmission.
Climate and environmental change may add further pressure: habitat loss, shifting moisture, rising temperatures and declining food supplies can weaken wildlife and reduce resilience to new disease. The true impact isn't yet known — confirmed cases represent only the animals found and tested, and many sick snakes likely die unseen or are mistaken for animals with injuries or shedding issues.
Difficulties in treatment
Suspected cases are quarantined at wildlife hospitals while samples are examined via swabs, tissue sampling, culture, PCR and DNA sequencing — a process that can take a week or more for preliminary results, longer for confirmation.
Treatment is sometimes possible in mild cases, but advanced infections are hard to manage.
Wildlife veterinarian and researcher Shelly Butcher, a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, has reported that severe cases may require euthanasia when recovery is unlikely and the animal is suffering. In a study of ten reptile cases at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital between 2023 and 2024, researchers noted many animals had deteriorated so severely that euthanasia was the most humane option.
There's also a difficult trade-off around release: returning an infected snake to the bush risks spreading the fungus further, but keeping every affected animal captive isn't practical.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1720935709128708 - Interview 7News Toowoomba/Queensland with Stuart McKenzie
What Queenslanders can do
Never handle a sick or injured snake — even a weak one can bite, and disturbance may spread contamination. If safe, people should photograph the animal from a distance, note the location and date, and contact a licensed snake catcher, wildlife hospital or vet rather than moving it themselves. Captive reptiles should never be released into the wild.
Snake catchers and carers should disinfect equipment between animals and locations, and report suspected cases promptly — each confirmed infection helps researchers map the disease's spread.
A warning for the future
Snakes help control rodents, frogs and other animals, and serve as prey for larger wildlife, so losing them could ripple through the food chain. Not every skin mark means infection — diagnosis requires lab testing — but the confirmed cases are a warning that Australia's reptiles may be facing a new, poorly understood threat. Researchers are calling for broader surveillance and more public reporting, which may offer the best chance of protecting populations before the disease becomes widespread.
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REFERENCE
The Conversation AU - 04 March 2026 (viewed 16 August 2026)
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