Over 150 types of venomous snake live in Australia. But deaths from snakebite are vanishingly rare. From snake behaviour to human innovation, here are the reasons why.
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Articles on Venomous snakes
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Whether you’re hoping to maximise your chances of seeing one of these shy, fascinating critters or wanting to avoid them at all costs, this article is for you.
How have snakes evolved venom fangs so many times in their evolutionary history? Research suggests it’s due to a structure called ‘plicidentine’ in their teeth that can evolve into venom grooves.
A toxin unique to spitting cobras means their venom causes more pain than other snakes.
As well as my work as a sociologist, I’m also a professional snake catcher. I don’t expect people to love snakes, but I believe they should know more about them - and it’s not all bad.
Not much is known about the pathology of trauma of black mamba bites – that is, what the black mamba’s toxin does, physically, inside a victim’s system.
The Mohave rattlesnake is famous for its variable venom – but the reasons behind that variation are not as straightforward as we thought.
Snakes have survived millions of years by using their bodies in increasingly creative ways.
The best cure against a snakebite is to avoid being bitten at all. Here is what you need to know about snakebites, antivenom, and what you need to do if bitten.
For over a century Australia’s venomous snakes have been counted amongst the world’s deadliest, yet human fatalities remain strikingly rare. How did our snakes develop such a fearsome reputation?
New research shows that puff adders use two luring techniques to attract prey within striking range.
Australia’s snakes, spiders and other venomous critters tend to strike fear in many people. But is Australia’s reputation as a nation of deadly creatures deserved?
We should be worried about the adder – but not because it’s dangerous.
Top contributors
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Reader in Zoology, Bangor University
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Research Manager, MCATS, Faculty and Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne
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Head of Knowledge, Australian National Maritime Museum and Honorary Affiliate, University of Sydney
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Research Fellow and Co-head, Australian Venom Research Unit, The University of Melbourne
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Research Associate in Evolutionary Biology, University of Adelaide
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Senior lecturer PhD, Monash University
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Senior Specialist, University of Pretoria
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Senior Lecturer in Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Bangor University
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Associate Professor in Sociology, Australian National University
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Professor of Herpetology, Environmental Physiology and Physiology, Ecology and Evolution, University of the Witwatersrand
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Associate Professor at the Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark
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Post-Doctoral Fellow School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand
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Pharmacist, PhD, at the Danish Poisons Information Center (GIFTLINJEN), Department of Anaesthesiology, Copenhagen University Hospital
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PhD Researcher in Biological Sciences, Bangor University
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Associate Research Scientist, Université de Lausanne
