8. Eastern Brown Snake :

A fierce Eastern Brown Snake

Eastern Brown snake (Psuedonaja textilis) belonging to the family of Elapidae is the world's second most venomous snake in the world. Its venom is such potent that even 1/14000 ounce can kill an adult human!! Though it is unfortunate to have its major habitat as most populated places of Australia, its fortunate that this snake does not try to bite humans in most cases. It inhabits in most part of Eastern Australia from desert to the coast, peninsulas of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and are mostly found in woodlands, grasslands, farmlands and arid scrub lands. 

Eastern Brown snakes are formidable creatures. Average length of this snake can be from 1.1 - 1.8 meters and can even reach 2.4 meters. It has a slender body and can vary in its coloration, including orange, yellow, silver and gray with some spots to give it a fierce look. They are mostly active during the day times, hence are diurnal. Rodents in farmlands are their prime food and its diet may also include birds and small mammals.

Eastern Brown snakes are notorious for their aggression when provoked. When highly agitated, they hold their heads to form an upright S shaped structure. They move with surprising speeds and rarely strikes repeatedly. Despite their notorious reputation, they are reluctant to bite in most cases. Standing still when encountered can save you as they react only to your movements. Venom of these snakes are extremely fatal containing both nuerotoxins and blood coagulants. Envenomation symptoms include diarrhea, convulsions and nausea. In serious cases, renal failure may occur along with paralysis and cardiac arrest. With the advent of sophisticated medical facilities and anti- venom, fatalities due to this snake are greatly reduced.




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