This snake's record-breaking bite could kill up to 100 people
It's not even the deadliest snake in the world.
A 2.5m long snake called Whiplash has broken the record for most venom in one bite from a Coastal Taipan. The snake, a resident of the Australian Reptile Park, Sidney, produced 3.1027g of venom.
It is the biggest quantity of venom milked from a Coastal Taipan and is almost twice the amount normally collected, which is around 1.8g, the Australian Reptile Park says.
The breed is not the most venomous in the world but 3g of Coastal Taipan venom can still kill 100 people.
Taipans are known for their aggression and this world record-breaking fellow is no exception.
"(Whiplash) is one of our most dangerous snakes here at the Reptile Park and can be quite unpredictable," the park's Head of Reptiles, Daniel Rumsey told the Newcastle Herald.
Whiplash's impressive venom will be put to good use. The Park milks its 250 snakes for venom every two weeks as part of a scheme to create antivenom.
"We are the only facility in Australia that milks Taipans for the production of antivenom so Whiplash's record-breaking contribution will go towards saving someone's life," Rumsey added.
Big snakes are commonplace in Australia where in late 2017, Australian police came across a snake so big they had to step out of their car and move it from the road. The reptile measured about 4.8m.
Big and deadly
While the quantity of venom obtained from Whiplash is impressive, some of its friends can kill humans in an instant with far less venom. Here's a list of the most venomous snakes in the world
- Belcher's Sea Snake - Can kill thousands with just milligrams of its venom
- Rattlesnake - Untreated, any rattlesnake bite has the potential to kill
- Death Adder - A bite can result in paralysis, respiratory arrest, and death in just six hours
- Inland Taipan or Fierce Snake - Its bite can kill as many as 100 people
- Eastern Brown Snake - Its venom can cause paralysis and death
- Blue Krait - Its venom is 16 times more potent than that of the cobra
- Black Mamba - A single bite contains enough venom to kill ten people
- Tiger Snake - Bites result in death ¾ of the time
- Philippine Cobra - It doesn't even have to bite you to poison you, spitting does it
- Saw Scaled Viper - Venom takes effects so slowly, people might not get treatment
Data from the Conservation Institute
