Banded sea snakeLaticauda colubrina Description: Smooth-scaled snake that is a pale shade of blue with black bands. Its oarlike tail provides propulsion in swimming. Characteristics: Most active at night, swimming close to shore and at times entering tide pools. Its venom is a very strong neurotoxin. Its victims are usually fishermen who untangle these deadly…
Category: Animal Guide
Tiger Snake – how to identify, avoid their habitat, and treatment for their bite.
Tiger snakeNotechis scutatus Description: Olive to dark brown above with yellowish or olive belly and crossbands. The subspecies in Tasmania and Victoria is uniformly black. Characteristics: It is the most dangerous snake in Australia. It is very common and bites many humans. It has a very potent neurotoxic venom that attacks the nervous system. When…
Taipan Snake – how to identify, avoid their habitat, and treatment for their bite.
TaipanOxyuranus scutellatus Description: Generally uniformly olive or dark brown, with a somewhat darker brown head. Characteristics: Considered one of the most deadly snakes. It has an aggressive disposition. When aroused, it can display a fearsome appearance by flattening its head, raising it off the ground, waving it back and forth, and suddenly striking with such…
Death Adder – how to identify, avoid their habitat, and treatment for their bite.
Death adderAcanthophis antarcticus Description: Reddish, yellowish, or brown color with distinct dark brown crossbands. The end of its tail is black, ending in a hard spine. Characteristics: When aroused, this highly dangerous snake will flatten its entire body, ready to strike over a short distance. It is nocturnal, hiding by day and coming out to…
Australian Copperhead Snake – how to identify, avoid their habitat, and treatment for their bite.
Australian copperhead or Denisonia superba Austrelaps is a genus of venomous elapid snakes native to the relatively fertile, temperate, southern and eastern part of the Australian continent. Three species are currently recognized, with no subspecies. They are commonly called copperheads or Australian copperheads. They are not closely related to the American copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix. Common…
Wagler’s Pit Viper or Temple Viper snake – how to identify, avoid their habitat, and treatment for their bite.
Wagler’s pit viper or temple viperTrimeresurus wagleri Description: Green with white crossbands edged with blue or purple. It has two dorsal lines on both sides of its head. Characteristics: It is also known as the temple viper because certain religious cults have placed venomous snakes in their temples. Bites are not uncommon; fortunately, fatalities are…
Saw Scaled Viper snake – how to identify, avoid their habitat, and treatment for their bite.
Saw-scaled viperEchis carinatus Description: Color is light buff with shades of brown, dull red, or gray. Its sides have a white or light-colored pattern. Its head usually has two dark stripes that start behind the eye and extend to the rear. Characteristics: A small but extremely dangerous viper. It gets the name saw-scaled from rubbing…
Sand Viper snake – how to identify, avoid their habitat, and treatment for their bite.
Sand viperCerastes vipera Description: Usually uniformly very pallid, with three rows of darker brown spots. Characteristics: A very small desert dweller that can bury itself in the sand during the day’s heat. It is nocturnal, coming out at night to feed on lizards and small desert rodents. It has a short temper and will strike…
Russell’s Viper snake – how to identify, avoid their habitat, and treatment for their bite.
Russell’s viperVipera russellii Description: Light brown body with three rows of dark brown or black splotches bordered with white or yellow extending its entire length. Characteristics: This dangerous species is abundant over its entire range. It is responsible for more human fatalities than any other venomous snake. It is irritable. When threatened, it coils tightly,…
Rhinoceros Viper or River Jack Snake – how to identify, avoid their habitat, and treatment for their bite.
Rhinoceros viper or river jackBitis nasicornis Description: Brightly colored with purplish to reddish-brown markings and black and light olive markings along the back. On its head it has a triangular marking that starts at the tip of the nose. It has a pair of long horns (scales) on the tip of its nose. Characteristics: Its…