Snake Australia

Snakes and Snakebite

Australia hosts many of the world’s most venomous, and therefore the most dangerous snakes. While many snakes have some venom (as do other animals such as spiders, centipedes and some frogs) they are only considered dangerous if they have the potential to kill a human.

Note that while the venom is poisonous the snake itself is not. Most snakes only feed and live prey, so snakes use their venom to subdue their prey, and in many of Australia’s habitats prey can be hard to find so the venom can be very strong so that prey doesn’t escape!

Dangerous Australian snakes are members the families Elapidae (the front-fanged land snakes) and Laticaudidae and Hydrophiidae (the sea-snakes and sea kraits).

The venom of snakes is a complex mixture of chemicals, with this mixture varying between species and families of snakes. The venom can affect the blood, muscles and nervous system. The strength of the venom and how much is received during a bight determine how severe and quick the effect will be on the victim!

Snakebites are quite rare in Australia, although they do happen and they are serious. Many bites occur when people chase the snake and are trying to kill it! Anti-venoms are available at hospitals and other medical centres, but can only be used with medical supervision due to the possibility of shock arising from an allergic reaction to the anti-venom.

Snakebite: What to do?

When a bite is on an arm or leg:

• Stay calm. If you are with a victim, reassure them and keep them calm
• Keep the limb as still as possible
• Apply a broad pressure bandage over the site as quickly as possible, extending the bandage over the entire limb if possible, as tightly as if for a sprain
• Immobilise the limb with a splint made of any rigid material
  Arrange transport to hospital.
• If the bite is not on a limb, apply firm pressure to the site of the bite if possible and arrange transport to medical treatment as quickly as possible.
• DO NOT cut, wash or suck the bite and DO NOT apply a tourniquet to affected limbs!