Talk:Aspidites melanocephalus
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Aspidites melanocephalus is part of WikiProject Amphibians and Reptiles, an attempt at creating a standardized, informative, comprehensive and easy-to-use amphibians and reptiles resource. If you would like to participate, you can choose to edit this article, or visit the project page for more information. |
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(First-time edit on Wiki, forgive any issues) I saw that two of the links used as references were no longer working, but as they are but references for the article that were used to write it, I think I should leave them. I am also proposing a new section and adding a section to this article.
Reference Section Issues
Melbourne Zoo, Black Headed Python. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
At the time of this edit, the page goes to an error. I could find no information on the Melbourne Zoo web site to replace this link. I emailed them the bad link and invited them to edit this article if they should fix it, or to at least let me know if it's permanently removed.
Following wiki guidelines, I found the following cached link to the page, the cached version close to the date of original citation. http://web.archive.org/web/20060821085552/http://zoo.org.au/animal_page.cfm?area_id=25&zoo_id=1&animal_id=111 and am replacing the link, again following wiki guidelines Wikipedia:Citing_sources#What_to_do_when_a_reference_link_.22goes_dead.22. There was no archiving requested by the author of this article on webcite so it's the best I can do.
Python Pete, Black Headed Python. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
At the time of this edit, the overall business that hosted this site is closed and the specific link goes to a 404 error.
Using the same method, I found this cached page. http://web.archive.org/web/20060328005002/http://www.pythonpete.com/info/blackinf.htm
External Links
I am leaving the one functional link on this page alone, but am also adding it in a new external links section. I am adding one Dreamtime story link as an example. The main Dreamtime article talks about the animal as well.
Black Headed Python in Culture
I am adding another new section, Black Headed Python in Culture. I am adding very little here. But there is something else I'd like to add, however need input from others.
There is a story that I heard while visiting Australia, from a private zoo keeper that lives in Northwest Queensland and who showed me this animal. I have not been able to find this story online to site it, but it shows something very important. I will write it here as it is from memory and unverified, but shows incredible insight and history. I also don't know which culture to credit for this story.
The Dreamtime story as I head it is that the Black Headed Python once used to be poisonous, but got tricked into giving up his venom. Now he eats poisonous snakes to try to slowly get it back. It is the only snake that can eat all other poisonous snakes.
The significance of this story is that the native people were able to research the following, without having formal, western scientific training, or setting up fieldwork laboratories:
- Determine that the Black Headed Python is the only snake that is able to eat other poisonous snakes
- Determine that it can eat all other poisonous snakes
- Create a memorable story to pass on the oral record of this observation
All of these are significant achievements and show the amount of close ties and observation of the native peoples to their land and nature. If someone can verify this, then perhaps this story can be included in the Culture section, if appropriate, the same whay the lyrebird story describes its cultural reference and significance, for example.
--Ilerne3 02:13, 18 March 2007 (UTC)
