Three species of large, fast, extremely venomous snakes from Australia and New Guinea, in the cobra family. The inland taipan is widely regarded as the most venomous snake in the world, yet it is usually shy and placid and lives in remote areas, so it rarely meets people.
Quick answers
What is it?Reptile
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Yes
One inland taipan bite holds enough venom to kill over 100 adults, though the coastal taipan is the bigger danger in practice.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAustralia, New Guinea
ColoursBrown, Tan, Olive
SizeLarge
LengthCoastal taipan: about 2 m on average, up to 2.9 m
LegsNone
Covered inScales
Lives alone
Lives for10–15 years
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Australia and New Guinea.
Did you know
The inland taipan has the most toxic venom of any snake, and is famously shy.
The name comes from the Wik-Mungkan people of Cape York, who used it for the Rainbow Serpent.
Inland taipans turn darker in winter to soak up the sun’s heat, and paler in summer.
Often confused with
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