Australian taipan dethrones inland taipan as deadliest snake

What is the most venomous snake in the world? The answer to this question depends on the criteria adopted, as the ranking can concern, among other things, the venom's effectiveness, its quantity, or the number of fatal victims recorded each year as a result of bites from representatives of a given species.

The Guinness Book of World Records indicates that the most venomous snake in the world is the inland taipan, inhabiting the desert regions of Australia. The discovery from the Australian Reptile Park challenges this record.

According to researchers in charge of the snakes at Reptile Park, the title belongs to a taipan, but not the inland one; rather, the Australian one is named Cyclone. This venomous snake, reaching even 2.5 metres in length, inhabits the northern coast of Australia and southern New Guinea.

"Cyclone is one of our most dangerous snakes here at the park and is known for being quite unpredictable and keeping us all on our toes," said Billy Collett from Reptile Park. According to Reptile Park representatives, as important as the toxicity of the venom itself is its quantity, which allows for calculating how many people a given snake can kill with a single bite.

Under controlled conditions, Cyclone released as much as 5 grams of venom during a single bite. This equates to around 18 grains of pure toxin, three times the average for Australian taipans. The toxin obtained can kill up to 400 people.

The venom collected from Cyclone will be used for the exact opposite purpose—Reptile Park is a supplier of serum that allows people to be saved in case of bites from various species of venomous snakes or spiders.

Although the Australian taipan is very dangerous, thanks to the availability of appropriate medicines, it is not a frequent cause of human death. In the 21st century, only two deaths have been recorded in Australia due to bites from this species.