Taipan - description of where it lives, features

In fact, there are not many poisonous snakes. Yes, there are many insidious snakes, but only a tenth of them is poisonous, and even fewer that have strong poison that can destroy almost any living thing.

Taipan (or Australian Taipan) is a kind of snake, that is, this classification includes many different species that may differ in one way or another. There are not many existing species, or rather, only three. Distinguish:

• coastal taipan;
• desert snake;
• Taipan inland.

A distinctive feature of this snake is a high degree of toxicity, that is, the presence of an incredibly powerful poison. When compared with cobra venom, then the power exceeds 150 times.

There are other interesting statistics. The poison of one snake is enough to allow about a hundred people to say goodbye to this world. After the taipan injects its poison, a person has about three hours to administer an antidote, otherwise a fatal outcome occurs after about three hours.

Taipan as a business

Of course, the antidote for the poison of such a snake is quite in demand, especially in Australia, where its main habitat. In order to create an antidote, the poison itself is required, which, as mentioned earlier, the snake supplies in significant quantities and can produce about 300 mg. for collection. This fact leads to active entrepreneurship in this area.

Many Australians search and trap taipans. Others just buy to collect the poison. Otherwise, these snakes are not particularly interested. The difficulty of keeping and the high toxicity of such a snake determine little interest in zoos and animal lovers. Therefore, for the most part, taipans simply peacefully exist within their natural territory.

Varieties

Oxyuranus scutellatus - So, scientists and other wise men of Latin experience and knowledge call the coastal taipan, which lives, as the name implies, in coastal territories. For the most part, this species lives in the northern territories of Australia and some islands of New Guinea, it is the largest representative of poisonous snakes in Australia and reaches more than three meters in length. By toxicity, this species is the third on the planet.

Taipans of coastal areas have a very sharp temper and high speed. Therefore, the variety is considered quite dangerous. This snake eats mostly mice, rats and frogs.

Oxyuranus microlepidotus or fierce (desert) snake has a shorter body length, which develops a little less than two meters. Prefers plains and fields, dry soil. The color is much darker than the previous species, which has a beige color, but a cruel snake can have the color of dark straw or even brownish. It lives mostly in the territory of West Queensland and relatively recently this fact has caused significant inconvenience to other inhabitants of this region. For example, the survival rate until the middle of the previous century (when they began to actively produce antidote) was only 10%. It uses small mammals for food.

It is the cruel snake that is the most poisonous in the world and it is from here that statistics are taken about the amount of poison that is enough for a hundred people. Moreover, unlike other species (the behavior of which is described in more detail below), the cruel snake is a rather (oddly enough) peaceful creature. All documented bite situations are associated with careless handling of the snake.

Oxyuranus temporalis - land taipan or taipan of inland territories has been opened relatively recently and has not previously been considered a separate variety. Moreover, it has been little studied and details about it as such can not be told.

Desert Taipan prefers the central regions of Australia, is the least toxic of all, and for the most part settles in bushy spaces near water bodies.

For all considered variants of taipans, there is a set of common characteristics:

1. The abdomen is always lighter than the back.
2. The head is darker than the back, but the muzzle is lighter than the body.
3. The color changes depending on the season and is modified by molting.
4. The length of the teeth is about a centimeter.
5. The mouth can open so that the upper part becomes almost perpendicular to the lower.

In addition, all taipans mainly operate in the daytime and rest at night, only during periods of high heat they rest during the day and crawl out of their affairs in the late afternoon.

How taipan behaves

Almost all snakes from this genus are highly aggressive; they do not hide at the sight of danger and can attack larger individuals. However, they are aggressive only if disturbed.

Seeing the danger, they stand up, that is, raise their heads, which they begin to swing around - this is how they signal their own aggressive intention. Further, taipan lunges with which it bites. Injected on average 120 milligrams (maybe more), poison is enough for almost every creature in order to feel the most pleasant effects without an antidote and say goodbye to the mortal world.

In the habitats of this snake, it is more than relevant to always have an antidote with you and know how to use it. In addition, you need to imagine how to act when meeting with an aggressive taipan. In the presence of warning signals, it is sometimes useful to competently retire and create the optimal distance.

Everyday habits

Taipan - a working creature and he spends most of his time searching for his own food. For the most part, he settles in some bushes and it is there that he expects rodents and similar creatures that could saturate the snake's appetites.

Taipan's ability to move fast is combined with excellent eyesight. Thanks to this, he carefully looks out for any changes in the landscape and, seeing, for example, a rodent, can go in the right direction.

Oddly enough, but these snakes can create a kind of symbiosis with people, especially with those that create sugarcane plantations and other crops. Taipan families settle nearby in order to get the opportunity to eat rodents and other animals that can live on plantations. At the same time, Taipans try not to touch people and themselves are not the initiators of such an action, can only respond when the danger threatens relatives or the individual of Taipan or there is an aggressive effect on the habitat.

Video: Taipan (Oxyuranus)