School Learning Time - topic - Animals

[Dizaster]

Okay, everyone needs to look up an animal that they like or are interested in, and post a picture plus a little article that they've copied from another website.. Hopefully it's something interesting that we can learn from...

The topic of today is of course animals.... Legion posted a link to a snake website and I decided to look up Australian venomous snakes and post some and see if he has heard of any of these..

The Death Adder is my favourite ever since I did a project on Snakes in Grade 2. It's got a really dirty rough looking skin and a big wide arrow shaped head.. And also my other favourite is a Red Belly Black Snake which is also a native Australian Snake which i'm pretty sure is venemous as well, but not pictured below.. It's like the slithering equivelant of a redback spider.


Fierce Snake. Oxyuranus microlepidotus
Said to be the world's most deadliest snake! Although it has existed in Australia for millions of years, the first live specimen was not captured until 1975. The Fierce snake's venom is extremely toxic and a small animal would die within seconds, its nervous system and heart instantly paralysed.
Because of its late discovery, few facts are known about this snake's habits. Fortunately, the Fierce Snake only lives in an isolated area around where the South Australian, New South Wales and Queensland borders meet.





Taipan. Oxyuranus scutellatus.
The Tiapan was thought to be the world's most venemous snake until the discovery of its cousin, the Fierce Snake. Taipans lives in the far North of Australia and down the Queensland coast, but have been found in Western New South Wales as far South as the Murray River.
The Taipan is an aggressive hunter, moving at high speed through grasslands with ease. On finding its prey by scent, the reptile flings itself at the victim and inflicts several rapid bites. Like most other venomous snakes, the Taipan uses its venom sparingly. As they don't regard man as prey, they have been know to strike and bite without releasing any venom.



Tiger Snake. Notechis sculatus.
Few snakes can match the sinister reputation of the Tiger, but recent observations indicate their ferocity and aggressiveness may not be as bad as first thought.
In the early days of settlement, Tiger snakes were blamed for the majority of deaths from snake bite. Although they are as venomous as African Mambas and Asian Cobras, the fact they are common throughout most of Australia meant they were more likely to come in contact with humans.



Death Adder. Acanthophis antarcticus.
A small snake that conceals itself by burrowing under leaves, leaving only a portion of its tail exposed. Unsuspecting birds or animals looking for an easy meal are attracted to the small tail only to be suddenly caught by the adder's amazing speed.
If trodden upon, the death adder strikes without warning, usually close to the ground, causing bites to the lower limbs. Its venom is extremely neurotoxic; 50 percent of its victims died within days before antivenom was developed.



Copper Head. Austrelaps superbus.
The Copperhead snake is highly dangerous to humans. If provoked, it raises its forebody from the ground and flattens its neck, angry and hissing ready to strike. Its extremely potent venom is mainly neurotoxic, attacking the nerves of the body, but it also contains blood destroying properties.
Colour and size varies with the locality and Copperheads may be tan, brown or black. They are more tolerant to the cold and have been seen sunbaking in mid-winter when other snakes are hibernating. One of their worst enemies are other Copperheads because they are prone to eat each other.



Sea Snakes.
Highly dangerous and capable of causing death to man, the venom of a sea snake has been rated as 10 times more toxic than a cobra!
Often confused with eels, there are at least 30 species of sea snakes in Australia and they range from the tropics to the cold waters of Tasmania. One of the most common is Hydrophis elegans which grows to over two metres long.
Sea snakes are shy and not aggressive if left alone. They usually only bite if touched or molested. (hehehe)

[SigmaMu]

You almost have the same taste as d1ldo and leftylea, except they like that one eyed snake

[Dizaster]

I havn't heard of a snake with one eye...

[BIG H]

Just get me some more pictures and vids of that Sophie bird will ya D!!!

[SigmaMu]

I havn't heard of a snake with one eye...

If you are in the F@ggins clan you must have heard of the one eyed snake, I heard one of the requisites to be cumming a member of the f@ggins clan was to show each other your one eyed snakes on cam daily

[LEGION]

Dizaster, you forgot the Eastern Brown{pseudonaja textillis} from Australia. It kills more people every year in your country than any snake; also the 2nd most venomous snake in the world. I believe 5 people in 2007 alone died. I think 4 already this year have died. Also the fairly recently labeled western brown{pseudonaja nuchalis} is bad news.

Also the King Brown/Mulga snake{pseudochis australis}. Highly toxic animals that have a nasty, mostly hemotoxic and myotoxic venom.
I'd love to get my hands on all of the aussie elapids, but Oz doesn't export its wildlife and the only one I can get my hands on easily in the states is the death adder.


Go to venomdoc.com and look for the subcutaneous ld 50 list if you want the list of most toxic.

[LEGION]

My main interest is the Aussie elapids but they have already been covered; plus I love the cobras. But I have a deep passion for the elapids known as kraits, bungarus to be specific.

Some of the most powerful neurotoxins on the planet come from this family. I imagine the cure for Parkinson's and other diseases of the nervous/musculatory system will probably come from one of the many of krait species. My favorite is bungarus fasciatus, banded krait from southeast asia. Also the red headed krait, bungarus flaviceps, is a stunningly beautiful animal and very potent.


Kraits


bungarus fasciatus






bungarus flaviceps

[LEGION]

Also another Taipan for you Dizaster, this one the Papauan New Guinea Taipan, oxyuranus scutellatis canni. Kills alot of people every year there; and would kill more if it weren't for the single handed efforts of David Williams who has done more to help set up proper hospitals with antivenin than anyone else. He almost died late last year for his efforts as he spent time in hospital after being bitten by one.

One of the world's deadliest and a distinct cousin to mainland Oz's coastal taipan. There are quite a few for sale here in the states, but I don't have the balls yet to mess with them; nor access to anti-venin. No anti-venin and you will die, from either your nervous system shutting down and paralyzing your muscles, which results in heart failure or lungs ceasing to function, or the hemotoxic effects and massive internal bleeding, whichever comes 1st. An absolutely drop dead{haha} gorgeous animal.

David Williams' Australian Herpetology ONLINE - Introduction

[LEGION]

Since you like Death Adders Dizaster, check this morph Deathie. Supposedly quite a few popping up in Australia. No scales!! Ugly imo, but a rather interesting occurence. Would love to know how this is happening and also see how the venom compares to that of a normal specimen.

http://www.reedysreptiles.com/fullsi...less%20800.jpg