A biologist from the University of Queensland has declared a new species of venomous burrowing snake is at high risk of becoming extinct by mining before it can be declared a “threatened species”.
The discovery of the new species of bandy-bandy snake close to a mine at Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula prompted professor Bryan Fry to seek protected species protection for the animal.
It is believed the snake must also be protected due to its rich venoms providing sources of compounds used to develop medications.