Since I'm just about to get into hunting/hiking
I have been doing more research on wildlife/snakes in particular lately
And I've found some interesting results when it came to Victorian Snakes
And I thought I'd share that information with you folks
(for general knowledge, why not)
According to DELWP
The most common snakes found in Victoria are the:
- Tiger Snakes
- Lowland Copperhead Snakes
- Eastern Brown Snakes
- Red-bellied Black Snakes
The good news about the Victorian snakes is that the majority of those "common" snakes have very short/thin fangs
- Tiger Snakes: 3.5mm - 5mm fangs
- Eastern Brown Snakes: 2.8mm - 4mm fangs
- Red-bellied Black Snakes: up to 5mm fangs (approx)
- Lowland Copperheads: (relatively long fangs)
Long story short;
Amongst the "most common" snakes found in Victoria, the tiger snake, the eastern brown snake, the red bellied black snakes, they all have very thin/short fangs
Which is good news
The lowland copperhead snakes are the only "common" snakes found in Victoria that have "relatively long" fangs.
However, the lowland copperhead snakes are generally shy and prefer to avoid humans. (Just like most snakes I suppose)
If cornered, they will hiss loudly, flatten their body and flick or thrash about, usually without biting.
With further provocation they may lash out, though they are slow to strike and can be inaccurate.
In recorded history, the lowland copperhead only accounts for a dozen bites on record and one fatality.
To conclude;
From the research that I have done so far
Victoria does seem to be a pretty good place to hunt/hike as the snakes that we have down here in our state aren't too bad
(Compared to some of the other common snakes found in Queensland, NSW and WA etc)
Here are some honourable mentions;
The Coastal Taipan has the longest fangs of all Australian snakes - up to 13 mm
The Coastal Taipan is found all along the eastern coast of Queensland, down into the extreme northeastern corner of New South Wales.
It is also found in the northern part of the Northern Territory, and the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The Inland Taipan is considered the most venomous snake in the world.
The Inland Taipan is estimated to have enough venom in each bite to kill more than 100 men.
However, this serpent is characteristically reclusive, placid and unlikely to attack.
It inhabits remote, semi-arid regions in Queensland and South Australia.
Encounters with the Inland Taipan are so rare than until 1972 they were considered a mystery species to the scientific community.
The Mulga Snake at three meters long is one of the longest venomous serpents in the world.
The Mulga snakes are found in every state except Victoria and Tasmania.
Mulga snakes have a relatively weak venom.
However, they can deliver a huge 150 milligram dose in one bite and are known to hang onto and chew victims as they inject their venom.
The Death Adder has fangs of 6mm to 8mm long
The Death Adder is generally found in eastern and coastal southern Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia
The Death Adders are not aggressive, they ambush to hunt and rely on camouflage rather than flight to avoid threats which renders them more dangerous to humans who venture into bushland habitats as they are easy to accidentally step on due to them being very well camouflaged.
