The Inland Taipan, also known as the small-scaled snake, is famous for its extremely potent venom, which can kill many people with just one bite. This snake species prefers to live in a semi-arid environment, where it can lay up to 24 eggs, depending on how much food it has eaten. If you’re also interested in this snake, let’s explore it in the following article from KnowAllAnimals.
Scientific Classification
- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
- Order: Squamata
- Suborder: Serpentes
- Family: Elapidae
- Genus: Oxyuranus
- Species: O. microlepidotus
1. The Origin of the Inland Taipan
The Inland Taipan, also known as the Australian Taipan, has the scientific name Oxyuranus microlepidotus. Its name is derived from two Greek and Latin words. Oxyuranus is a combination of the Greek words “oxys” (sharp, like a needle) and “ouranos” (vault of heaven). Meanwhile, microlepidotus means “small-scaled” in Latin.
This snake species belongs to the family Elapidae and the class Reptilia.
2. Physical Characteristics of the Australian Taipan
The Australian Taipan is easily recognizable by its dark or light brown body. The shades of brown and gray run along its back, belly, and sides. The rows of dark, diagonal scales form a “V” shape down the body. Its head and neck are quite round. You’ll notice that this part of the body is darker than the rest.
Australian Taipans are about 5.9 feet long, with some individuals reaching over 8 feet. Their skin color changes with the seasons (darker in cold weather, lighter in warm weather). The purpose of this color change is to regulate their body temperature.
Physical Characteristics of the Australian Taipan:
- Dark body that can change shades with the seasons.
- Diagonal “V”-shaped patterns.
- Head and neck are darker than the rest of the body.
- Can be up to 8.2 feet long.
3. Behavioral Characteristics of the Australian Taipan
Despite having the most dangerous venom in the world, this snake species tends to be shy. They usually live in remote locations, far from residential areas, to limit contact with humans. In fact, most snake bites occur when humans trespass on their territory and pose a threat. This snake only attacks to defend itself.
4. Where Do Inland Taipans Live?
The only place you can consistently find Taipan snakes is in Australia, as they are endemic to the country. They prefer to live in semi-arid environments, covering an area from Queensland to South Australia. At one time, Taipan snakes were found in northwestern Victoria and New South Wales, but they have not been seen in these regions since the late 1800s.
5. Conservation Status and Population of the Australian Taipan
All snake species in Australia are protected, which means there are laws against killing western taipan snakes. Most recently, in 2017, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classified this species as of Least Concern because their population is stable and they are common throughout the areas where they live.
The global population of the Taipan snake is largely unknown because they are very rarely encountered by humans. However, they are rarely seen in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, because they are extinct in those areas.
6. Australian Inland Taipan Venom: How Dangerous Is It?
One of the most remarkable features of this snake is its venom. Its venom is more potent than that of any other snake in the world, even surpassing sea snakes. Over time, the Taipan’s venom has evolved to be able to kill any warm-blooded animal, especially small mammals—its favorite food. Despite its limited diet, this Taipan has enough venom in one bite to kill 100 people.
The Australian Inland Taipan has incredible speed and accuracy. In fact, this accuracy is so consistent that they can inject venom into the same spot multiple times in a row. They typically release about 44mg of venom per bite, although it has been documented to be as high as 110mg in some cases. Compared to the Diamondback rattlesnake in North America, which only injects 11.4mg per bite, the Taipan’s number is 10 times higher.
The mortality rate for a victim bitten by a Taipan is extremely high. If you are not treated quickly enough, your survival rate is less than 20%. When the snake injects its venom, you’ll first feel pain, which will then progress to nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, and seizures. After that, the venom begins to travel to major organs, leading to kidney failure, neurotoxicity, and a blood clotting disorder before causing death.
If you are bitten by a Taipan, you must seek medical care as soon as possible. You only have about 30–45 minutes before the neurotoxin affects your internal organs.
7. FAQs – Facts About the Inland Taipan
The Most Potent Venom in the World
The Inland Taipan’s venom is the strongest of all snakes. Just a small amount of venom can kill a mouse in under 30 minutes. Its venom contains extremely dangerous enzymes and neurotoxins.
Lives in the Desert
Inland Taipans live primarily in the deserts and semi-deserts of Australia, where they can hide in rock crevices or burrows to avoid high temperatures and hunt for food.
An Extremely Rare Snake
This is a very rare snake to encounter in the wild. They live in remote areas and are not always easy to observe because they rarely come out into the open.
Main Diet is Small Mammals
The Inland Taipan’s diet consists mainly of small mammals, such as mice and other rodents. They can attack and kill their prey very quickly thanks to their potent venom.
Ability to Adapt to a Dry Environment
The Inland Taipan is able to live in a dry environment because its body is designed to minimize water loss. They mainly hunt at night when temperatures are lower.
Extremely Shy and Rarely Attacks
This snake is very shy and will try to get away from humans when it encounters them. It only attacks when it feels seriously threatened. This temperament makes them less likely to attack humans.
Very Few People Are Bitten
Although the Inland Taipan’s venom is very dangerous, the number of people bitten by them is very small. This is because they are not an aggressive species and have little contact with humans due to their remote habitat.
Venom Can Kill a Person in 30 Minutes
If bitten by an Inland Taipan, an adult can die within 30 minutes to 1 hour from heart problems and respiratory arrest if not treated immediately.
Their Venom is Being Studied in Medicine
Research on the Inland Taipan’s venom is being used to develop drugs and therapies for patients with blood and heart diseases. The compounds in their venom may have future medical applications.
This Snake is Difficult to Keep in Captivity
Inland Taipans are not easy to keep in captivity because they have a specialized diet and require a very specific living environment, including strict temperature and humidity conditions.
We hope that these shared insights from Know All Animals have helped you better understand the Inland Taipan. This is an extremely dangerous snake, so if you don’t have a lot of experience with reptiles, it’s best to stay away if you happen to encounter one.
References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inland_taipan
