Posts

Inland Taipan

Image
Inland Taipan   The inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), also commonly known as the western taipan, small-scaled snake, or fierce snake,is a species of extremely venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to semiarid regions of central east Australia.Aboriginal Australians living in those regions named the snake dandarabilla.It was formally described by Frederick McCoy in 1879 and then by William John Macleay in 1882, but for the next 90 years, it was a mystery to the scientific community; no further specimens were found, and virtually nothing was added to the knowledge of this species until its rediscovery in 1972.The inland taipan is dark tan, ranging from a rich, dark hue to a brownish light green, depending on season. Its back, sides, and tail may be different shades of brown and grey, with many scales having a wide, blackish edge.The inland taipan averages about 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in total length, although larger specimens can reach total lengths of 2.5 m (8.2 

The King Cobra

Image
 The King Cobra The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is a venomous snake endemic to Asia. With an average length of 3.18 to 4 m (10.4 to 13.1 ft) and a maximum record of 5.85 m (19.2 ft),it is the world's longest venomous snake. Colouration of this species varies across habitats, from black with white stripes to unbroken brownish grey. The sole member of the genus Ophiophagus, it is not taxonomically a true cobra, despite its common name and some resemblance. The king cobra inhabits forests from South to Southeastern Asia where it preys chiefly on other snakes, including those of its kind.  Bites of the    king cobra's skin is olive green with black and white bands on the trunk that converge to the head. The king cobra has a wide distribution in South and Southeast Asia. Like other snakes, a king cobra receives chemical information via its forked tongue, which picks up scent particles and transfers them to a sensory receptor (Jacobson's organ) located in the roof of its mout

Red/Indian Sand Boa

Image
 Red /Indian Sand Boa  Red Sand Boa (Eryx johnii,) commonly called the Indian Sand Boa, is a non-venomous species found throughout the dry parts of the Indian subcontinent. It is a primarily reddish-brown and thick-set snake that grows to an average length of 75 cm. Unlike most snakes, the tail is almost as thick as the body and gives the reptile the appearance of being "double-headed". Interesting facts • Largest of the sand boas in the world. • Non-venomous • Ovoviviparous • Nocturnal and spends the majority of its time under the ground. It is easily recognizable due to its shovel-shaped nose and a blunt tail which appears to be chopped off. Like other snake species, the Red Sand Boa also plays a significant role in the ecosystem by maintaining a healthy population between prey and predator. It feeds on rodents, lizards, and even other snakes.  Eryx johnii is a  species of nonvenomous snake in the  subfamily Erycinae of the  family Boidae .Adults of  E. john

Mozambique Spitting Cobra

Image
Mozambique Spitting Cobra     The  Mozambique spitting cobra ( Naja mossambica ) is a highly venomous species of  spitting cobra native to  Africa . It is largely found in  Angola ,  Botswana ,  Malawi ,  Mozambique ,  Namibia ,  South Africa ,  Tanzania ,  Zambia , and  Zimbabwe . German naturalist  Wilhelm Peters described this species in 1854. In color, the snake is slate to blue, olive or tawny black above, with some or all scales having black edging.It is a highly venomous type of cobra that is so named because it projects venom from its fangs into its attacker’s eyes, which can cause vision problems or blindness. The venom from its bite can destroy local tissue like the  puff adder . It can spit venom at a distance of 4 to 8 feet.As its name suggests, this cobra spits venom and can hit a target with deadly accuracy from two to three metres away. They are often considered one of the deadliest snakes in Africa.Their fangs are specifically designed for spitting venom. They have hole

Boomslang

Image
Boomslang   boomslang, (Dispholidus typus), venomous snake of the family Colubridae, one of the few colubrid species that is decidedly dangerous to humans. This moderately slender snake grows to about 1.8 metres (6 feet) in length and occurs in savannas throughout sub-Saharan Africa. When hunting, it lies in wait in a bush or tree for chameleons and birds; the forepart of the body often extends motionless into air . Its body and eye colour are extremely variable, and camouflage is excellent. In defense the boomslang inflates the neck, showing the dark skin between the scales; it then may strike. It is rear-fanged, but the fangs are set relatively far forward in the mouth. The venom causes hemorrhages and can be fatal to humans in small amounts.Its name means "tree snake" in Dutch and Afrikaans. It is a colubrid, the largest family of snakes, found on every continent except Antarctica. Like all snakes, boomslangs do not chew – they swallow everything whole. The venom of boomsl

The Black Mamba

Image
The Black Mamba The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. First formally described by Albert Günther in 1864, it is the second-longest venomous snake after the king cobra; mature specimens generally exceed 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and commonly grow to 3 m (9.8 ft). Specimens of 4.3 to 4.5 m (14 to 15 ft) have been reported. Its skin colour varies from grey to dark brown. Despite the common name, the skin of a black mamba is not black, but rather describes the inside of its mouth, which it displays when feeling threatened. The species is both terrestrial (ground-living) and arboreal (tree-living); it inhabits savannah, woodland, rocky slopes and in some regions, dense forest.. Over suitable surfaces, it can move at speeds up to 16 km/h (10 mph) for short distances.  In a threat display, the black mamba is the most feared snake in Africa because of its size, aggression, venom toxicity and speed of onset of symptoms following en

The Eastern Green Mamba

Image
The Eastern Green Mamba  The eastern green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) is a highly venomous snake species of the mamba genus Dendroaspis native to the coastal regions of southern East Africa. Described by Scottish surgeon and zoologist Andrew Smith in 1849, it has a slender build with a bright green back and green-yellow ventral scales. Adult females average around 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in length, and males are slightly smaller. A shy and elusive species, the green mamba is rarely seen. It preys on birds, eggs, bats, and rodents such as mice, rats, and gerbils. Its venom consists of both neurotoxins and cardiotoxins. Symptoms of envenomation include swelling of the injection site, dizziness, and nausea, accompanied by difficulty breathing and swallowing, irregular heartbeat, and convulsions progressing to respiratory paralysis. eastern green mamba is a large snake, with a slightly compressed and very slender body with a medium to long tapering tail.The snake tends to bite repeatedly