Taipan

Oxyuranus scutellatus

..
DESCRIPTION

Varies from yellowish brown to reddish brown and almost to black. Head paler than body. Orange brown iris. Long head with angular brow.

The Taipan can be found in the northern Kimberlies of Western Australia through to the northern tip of the Northern Territory and from the tip of Cape York in Queensland along the East Coast into New South Wales to the Grafton region. It is also found in New Guinea. The Taipan inhabits a variety of areas including canefields, woodlands and monsoon forests. The diet consists of small mammals such as rats and bandicoots. It is a very swift snake, usually fleeing when threatned but it has been known to defend itself when harassed. Bites can be multiple and in rapid succession. The Taipan is dangerously venomous.