Australia is geologically old, and is an island of course. So there has been lots of time for snakes to evolve and diversify to make best use of what they have. In the grasslands and desert areas snakes have to strike quickly and hard, as prey are smaller, agile and fast.
Due to the country's large landmass, many climates are experienced including equatorial, tropical, subtropical, desert, monsoonal, temperate, and alpine. These differing climates influence Australia's snake distribution and abundance, and provide many different and unique habitats for them.
Snake plague is a major concern in Australia. As it's the country to most snake species, residents often encounter these unexpected coiling guests in the bathroom, in the ceiling, under the bed, and even right in front of their doorstep.
Australia and Antarctica finally broke apart around 100 million years ago. Today, venomous snakes are found in all of these places – apart from Antarctica, where it is too cold for them to live. On the original combined land mass, it is thought that there was a population of ancestral snakes that was venomous.
"Including the brown, tiger, black, taipan, death adder and certain sea snakes and all these snakes are found in Queensland," Mr Farry said.
Peter informed me that the "snake" in the above picture actually is a Common Scaly-foot (Pygopus lepidopodus), one of the many Australian legless lizards. Thank you Peter for the information. Snakes can be found all over Australia, not only in the Outback.
Estimated to have enough venom in each bite to kill more than 100 men, the Inland Taipan is considered the most venomous snake in the world. However, this serpent is characteristically reclusive, placid and unlikely to attack. It inhabits remote, semi-arid regions in Queensland and South Australia.
Snakes are protected by law in all states and territories of Australia and may not be killed unless they threaten life. Offences under the Nature Conservation Act 2014 carry severe penalties. Snakes cannot be taken from the wild, kept without a licence, or traded without a licence.
AUSTRALIA IS INFAMOUS FOR its dangerous animals. With more deadly snakes than any other country worldwide, it isn't surprising.
introduced predators such as foxes, dogs and cats. snakes being run over on roads. the indiscriminate killing of snakes by people who fear or dislike them. Many harmless snakes, and even legless lizards, are killed unnecessarily in this way.
Killing snakes
It is an offence under the National Parks and Wildlfe Act to kill or remove a snake from its environment, with fines of up to $10,000 and two years imprisonment enforceable. "The only exception is if a venomous snake is posing a genuine threat to life and safety."
Snakes Around the House. There are a number of common venomous snakes found in South Australia, many of which often find their way into residential areas. These snakes pose a danger to residents and can cause anxiety for anyone who suffers from ophidiophobia or herpetophobia, the fear of snakes or reptiles.
Predators. The species' known predators include birds of prey and feral cats.
Australia is known for its dangerous snakes, and we have many – but in reality few people die from bites. WHEN IT COMES TO self-defence, Australia's snakes have things pretty well covered.
Australian Box Jellyfish
The box jellyfish is the world's most venomous animal with four species — Chironex fleckeri, Carukia barnesi, Malo kingi, and Chironex yamaguchii — considered highly venomous. The Chironex fleckeri, also known as the Australian box jellyfish is considered the most venomous animal in the world.
An unlikely tale, perhaps—yet Ireland is unusual for its absence of native snakes. It's one of only a handful of places worldwide—including New Zealand, Iceland, Greenland, and Antarctica—where Indiana Jones and other snake-averse humans can visit without fear.
The relatively cool climate and the fact that Britain is an island have contributed to the paucity of British amphibian and reptile fauna. The English Channel has been the main barrier to the invasion of these animals from continental Europe, which has over 80 species.
It's rare for Australian snakes to strike. It's even more uncommon for the fangs to penetrate clothing and the skin.
Both venomous and nonvenomous snakes are extremely wary of humans and are not prone to strike. A bite is their last-ditch effort to avoid harm. Simply leaving a snake to do its job in the landscape is the best way to avoid a bad encounter.
Compared to other countries with many snake species, Australia has orders of magnitude fewer snakebites and related deaths. South Africa has 476 snakebite deaths on average every year. By contrast, Australia has two or three.
We have noted at Walkabout Park that most kangaroos bitten by snakes are hand-raised kangaroos. We have seen a disproportionately larger number of hand-raised kangaroos bitten, relative to wild raised kangaroos.
Or, if you believe the rumours, maybe even all of the world's deadliest animals. The numbers tell a different story. It is estimated that Australia hosts 66 venomous species, ranking beneath countries such as Brazil (with 79 species) and Mexico (with 80).
Some snakes such as eastern brown snakes are active during the day, others prefer to hunt in the evening, while some species are more active at night during the hotter months.