Zebulun Nayilibidj

The artist has painted nawaran, the Oenpelli Python (Morelia oenpelliensis). Nawaran is a rare snake that is only found in the Oenpelli region. Non-indigenous Australians first discovered it in the 1970’s. It is greyish in colour with distinctive marking making it easy to identify. The nawaran is a non-venomous snake that can grow to massive lengths. It is able to dislocate its jaws enabling it to swallow prey larger than themselves. These reptiles are nocturnal, feeding on a variety of animals as well as the eggs of brolga.