Inland Taipan (aka Fierce Snake) of Australia

Found only in Australia, the Inland Taipan is the most toxic snake on Earth. Just a single bite from this snake contains enough venom to kill 100 human adults. Luckily, antivenin is now available, prior to its development, few people survived a bite from this snake. Its venom is 200-400 times more toxic than most rattlesnakes and 50 times as toxic as a cobra. The Inland Taipan's extremely neurotoxic venom can kill an adult human in as little as 45 minutes, without treatment.

The Inland Taipan consumes mostly rodents, birds and rats. They kill with quick, multiple strikes, injecting venom into their victim. The venom clots the victim's blood, blocking arteries or veins and using up clotting factors. It is also highly neurotoxic, leading to symptoms of paralysis, respiratory failure and cardiac arrythmia. There are no known survivors of a Taipan bite before an antivenin was developed and, even then, victims often require extended periods of intensive care.

Fortunately this snake is very shy and inhabits arid and unpopulated areas of the "outback". The Inland Taipan is native to the arid regions of central Australia, extending from the southeast part of the Northern Territory, and into west Queensland. The Inland Taipan can also be found north of Lake Eyre and to the west of the split of the Murray River, Darling River and Murrumbidgee River.

The Inland Taipan is dark tan, ranging from a rich, dark hue to a brownish olive-green, depending on the season. Its back, sides and tail may be different shades of brown and grey, with many scales having a wide blackish edge. It adapts to the environment by changing the color of the skin during seasonal changes. This snake tends to be lighter in summer and darker in winter. The seasonal color change serves in regulating the snake's temperature, allowing the snake to absorb more light (thence converted to heat) in the colder months. Inland Taipans average between 6½ to 12 feet long (2 to 3.6 meters)