AUSTRALIAN SNAKES
Australia has around 140 species of land snake, and 32 recorded species of sea snakes. Around 100 Australian snakes are venomous, although only 12 are likely to inflict a wound that can cause fatalties. The most dangerous snakes belong to the front-fanged group and can be found throughout Australia. Snakes are a protected in Australia and it is illegal to kill one. Below is information on some of Australia's most venomous snakes.
Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis)
The Eastern Brown Snake, also known as the Common Brown Snake, is native to Eastern and Central Australia. It is considered the second-most venomous land snake in the world and is responsible for the majority of human snake-bite deaths in Australia.
The Eastern Brown Snake is usually a solitary snake, living in a wide range of habitats, and are often found on farmland and in outer suburban areas where their main prey, mice, are in regular supply. They are active during the day, particularly in the spring months, however during periods of hot weather they may forage late in the evening and at night.
The Eastern Brown Snake is a slender and very fast moving snake growing up to 2 metres in length. The colour of its surface ranges from pale brown to black, while its underside is pale cream-yellow, often with orange or grey splotches.
If disturbed, the Eastern Brown Snake reacts by raising it's body off the ground, either in a partial or full display. In a full display, the snake rises up vertically high off the ground, coiling its neck into an 'S' shape, and opening its mouth ready to strike more accurately and potently.
The reaction to the Eastern Brown Snake's venom is rapid and victims may collapse within minutes. The main effects of its venom are on the circulatory system which usually leads to cardiac arrest.
Western Brown Snake (Pseudonaja nuchalis)
The Western Brown Snake, also known as the Gwardar, is widespread across Australia.
The Western Brown Snake prefers drier habitats, including shrubland, grassland, and dry woodland areas. They are commonly found on farmland and will take shelter under any available groundcover, natural or man-made, including fallen trees, rock or concrete slabs and corrugated iron. Like their eastern cousin, they are active during the day, particularly in the spring months, though during periods of hot weather they may forage late in the evening and at night.
The Western Brown Snake is a long and slender snake, with a smallish head indistinct from the neck. The colour of its surface ranges from pale to medium brown on the body, with the head often darker brown or black and the snout being paler than the head. Occasionally there is a series of faint to obvious broad dark brown bands along the body, and scattered dark brown or black scales on the neck. The belly is pale yellow or cream colour, often with salmon blotches, becoming cream under the throat and chin.
Reportedly not as aggressive its eastern cousin, the Western Brown Snake has a nervous temperament and will readily defend itself if provoked, striking quickly before running for cover. If cornered they will raise their body into a typical 'S' shape ready to strike.
Though their venom is not as toxic as the Eastern Brown Snake, they deliver three times as much and the bite should be treated as life-threatening. Bites are usually painless and difficult to see due to the small fang marks. Early symptoms in people include nausea, headache, abdominal pain. Cats and dogs can experience paralysis.
Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus)
The Tiger Snake is widespread throughout southern eastern Australia, including islands of Bass Strait and Tasmania, as well as south west Australia.
The Tiger Snake is usually associated with watery environments and reside in coastal areas, wetlands, rivers, dams and creeks. They are also frequently found in the suburbs around Melbourne particularly the Western Suburbs. They are normally a ground-dwelling snake but are capable of climbing trees and human constructions. Tiger Snakes are active during the day and night in warmer months, however they may be found out basking in the sun on warm winter days.
Tiger Snakes are a thick-bodied, solid snake, usually growing to around 1-1.5 metres in length. They have a wide range of colours, which makes them difficult to identify, but are usually striped and their head is slightly wider and distinct from their neck. Tiger Snakes are often marked by a series of dark brown and yellow-brown bands, but they may or may not be present. Their underbelly is generally lighter than the main body and un-banded.
Tiger Snakes are highly venomous and dangerous to humans and account for the second-highest number of snake bites in Australia. While they are generally shy, preferring escape to conflict, when provoked can be extremely aggressive. When threatened, they flatten their bodies and raise they heads slightly pointing at the offender. They will hiss loudly and inflate and deflate it's body and eventually strike with a powerful bite.
The venom of the tiger snake is strongly neurotoxic and coagulant, which left untreated will be fatal. Symptons include localised pain in the foot and neck region, tingling, numbness and sweating, quickly followed by breathing difficulties and paralysis.
Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus)
The Inland Taipan is also known as the Fierce Snake or Small-scaled Snake. It is a very rare snake and is found in the Channel country of south-western Queensland and north-eastern South Australia.
The Inland Taipan is often referred to as the most venemous snake in the world, however due to it's scarcity and shy and placid nature it is rarely encountered in its remote, semi-arid homeland. They briefly appear, in the morning, to bask and forage near deep soil cracks or small animal holes where they can shelter during the day. They feed predominately on the long-haired rat.
The Inland Taipan is a medium to large snake, with a robust build and a deep, rectangular-shaped head. The colour varies from a dark brown a paler yellowish-brown or pale fawn, with the head and neck being several to many shades darker than the body. Many dorsal scales have a blackish-brown lower anterior edge which creates a broken herringbone pattern along the length of the body. The colour changes depending on the season, with individuals becoming darker in winter and fading in summer. They average length is around 1.8 metres.
The venom of the Inland Taipan is extremely potent and is rated as the most toxic of all snake venom, but because of it's rarity and placid nature it is not classed as a particularly dangerous snake. The venom is strongly neurotoxic and contains a 'spreading factor' (hyaluronidase enzyme) that increases the rate of absorption. Symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, collapse and paralysis. If bitten seek immediate medical attention.
Coastal Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus)
The Coastal Taipan is also known as the Eastern Taipan and is found from northeastern New South Wales through Queensland and across the northern parts of the Northern Territory to northern Western Australia.
The Coastal Taipan prefers warm wetter temperate and tropical regions. It lives in open forests, dry closed forests, coastal heaths and grassy beach dunes and also favours cultivated areas such as cane fields where there is often an abundance of rats. The Coastal Taipan shelters in abandoned animal burrows, hollow logs and in piles of vegetation and litter. This snake is active during day and also in early evening during hot weather.
The Coastal Taipan is a medium to large snake with a robust build and an average length of 2 metres. It's body colour may be yellowish, reddish brown, dark brown or almost black. The Coastal Taipan can sometimes confused with the Brown Snake, but can be distinguished by its pale face and snout, large head and slender neck. Like it's inland cousin it undergoes a seasonal colour change becoming darker in winter and fading in summer. The underbelly is yellowish to cream with scattered orange blotches. Coastal Taipans are equipped with the longest fangs of any Australian snake.
The Coastal Taipan venom is the third most toxic of all snakes and is often regarded as the most dangerous snake in Australia. Like any snake they prefer to avoid conflict but they are extremely nervous and alert, and when surprised or cornered are highly likely to attack, often without warning. The Taipan's muscular and lightweight body allows it to throw itself at an offender either forwards or sideways and it can reach high off the ground. The strike is fast and it can inflict multiple bites with extreme accuracy and efficiency.
The venom of the Coastal Taipan is strongly neurotoxic and rapidly affects the nervous system and the blood causing headaches, nausea, convulsions, paralysis, internal bleeding and kidney damage. If bitten seek immediate medical attention no matter how trivial the bite may be.
Mulga Snake (Pseudechis australis)
The Mulga Snake is also known as the King Brown Snake and is found throughout Australia, except in Victoria, Tasmania and the most southernly parts of Western Australia. Despite its common name it is not a true brown snake but one of the black snake family.
The Mulga Snake can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including shrublands, woodlands and sandy deserts and have the widest distribution of any Australian snake. They shelter in hollow logs, disused animal burrows, rock cavities, in deep soil cracks and under large rocks. The Mulga are most active in the late evening and early hours after dusk but can be active both during the day and night depending on the temperature.
The King Brown is the heaviest venomous snake in Australia and can grow over 2.5m in length, the average size being 1.5m. Like many Australian snakes the Mulga is variable in colour and may be brown, reddish brown, coppery brown or brownish black with each individual scale often being two-toned giving the snake a subtle pattern. Their colouring can also vary from area to area. Adult snakes are usually quite robust, with a broad deep head and bulbous cheeks.
The Mulga Snake can deliver up to 150mg of venom in one bite and are known to hang onto their victims as they chew and inject their venom. The venom is not as potent as those of Australia's other dangerous snakes but can still cause severe effects if delivered in large enough quantities. The temperament of the King Brown Snake can vary with locality, with southern snakes reportedly being a shy, quite snake and the northern specimens being much more agitated when disturbed. When threatened the Mulga Snake will throw its head and neck from side to side, hissing loudly and if pressed will lass out wildly in an attempt to bite.
The venom of the Mulga Snake destroys the blood cells and affects the muscles and nerves with toxic effects being proportional to the amount of venom in the victim. Because of the severity of the bite considerable pain, swelling, and tissue damage often occur at the site of the bite. Despite the common name of King Brown Snake, the Mulga is a member of the black snake family and thus black snake antivenom should be given.
Lowland Copperhead (Austrelaps superbus)
The Lowland Copperhead, also known as the common copperhead, resides in the lowland areas of south-eastern South Australia, southern Victoria, Tasmania, and the islands of Bass Strait.
The Lowlands Copperhead is often found in habitats next to water, such as marshes, lakes, creeks, streams and rivers. The Copperhead has adapted to relatively cool and cold environments and are the only venomous species found above the snow line. The Copperhead can also be found in agricultural areas, such as canals, dams and ditches, and will shelter in hay bales and old tires, and under logs, rocks and metal sheets. Lowland Copperheads overwinter in animal burrows close to water.
The Copperhead is a moderately robust and muscular snake with a relatively narrow head scarcely distinct from the neck. The Lowland Copperhead, like other copperhead snakes, has a uniformly slate grey or black to coppery red brown body with a creamy white underbelly. Most adult Copperheads have a prominent orange/red to brown streak running along the lower sides of the body. The Copperhead can grow 1 to 1.5m in length.
The Lowland Copperhead is an active, alert hunter that is very shy with humans and who prefers to retreat when disturbed, they are not usually aggressive and bites are uncommon. The fangs of a Copperhead are relatively short so strong shoes or boots will provide some protection. If cornered a Copperhead will puff up its body to appear bigger, hissing loudly, and repeatedly and quickly change position ready to strike. The strike is very fast.
The venom of the Copperhead is powerfully neurotoxic and affects the blood cells, muscles and nervous system. The bite rarely causes fatalities but may be potentially fatal without immediate medical assistance.
Red-Bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
Red-Bellied Black Snake, also known as the Common Black Snake is found distributed along the east coast of Australia (not Tasmania).
The Red-Bellied Black Snake is commonly associated with a moist habitat and live near rivers, streams, swamps and dams but can be found within bushlands, forests and woodlands. The Black Snake also inhabits rural properties and disturbed areas and can be seen around drainage canals or dams. The snakes take shelter under large rocks or logs and in thick grass clumps or animal burrows. Individual snakes can often be seen in the same location within their territory.
The Common Black Snake is medium sized, moderately robust snake with a head barely distinct from the neck. The head and body colour is uniform black, except for the snout which is often pale brown. The underside of the snake is fading from a bright crimson to a duller red, orange or pink in the middle of the belly giving rise to it's name. The Red-Bellied Black Snake can grow up to 2.5m but adults usually average about 1.5m.
While you may come across the Red-Bellied Black Snake, it is a shy and non-aggressive and will typically withdraw when approached. If cornered the snake will raise its head and forebody off but parallel to the ground, spread its neck and hiss loudly, and may even make mock strikes with a closed mouth. If severely provoked, a Red-Bellied Black Snake can deliver a very fast and severe bite where they may hang on and continue to 'chew' the victim.
The venom of the Red-Bellied Black Snake is the least dangerous of elapid snakes in Australia. It has predominantly anticoagulant and myotoxic effects whose symptoms include bleeding and/or swelling at the bite site, nausea, vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, sweating, local or general muscle pain and weakness. While symptoms may, in some cases, be mild it is important that medical attention be sought as soon as possible,