Inland Taipan Poster

The inland taipan is also known as the western taipan, the small-scaled snake, or the fierce snake. It can be found in the semi-arid regions of central east Australia. It is the most venomous snake in the world, its venom, drop for drop, is by far the most toxic of any snake. Unlike most snakes, the inland taipan is a specialist mammal hunter so its venom is specially adapted to kill warm-blooded species. It is estimated that one bite possesses enough lethality to kill at least 100 fully grown men, and, depending on the nature of the bite, it has the potential to kill someone in as little as 30 to 45 minutes if left untreated. It is an extremely fast and agile snake that can strike instantly with extreme accuracy, often striking multiple times in the same attack. Although extremely venomous and a capable striker, in contrast to the rather aggressive coastal taipan, the inland taipan is usually quite a shy and reclusive snake, with a placid disposition, and prefers to escape from trouble. Photo taken at Taronga Zoo, Sydney on a Nikon Coolpix P610.