Caudal Luring
There are about 5 main species of Death Adder found in Australia and are found in most states including WA:The Common Death Adder (Acanthophis antarcticus)
The Northern Death Adder (Acanthophis praelongus)
The Desert Death Adder (Acanthophis pyrrhus)
The Pilbara Death Adder (Acanthophis wellsi)
The Barkly Tablelands Death Adder (Acanthophis hawkei)
Most venomous snakes native to Australia are elapids and although the Death Adder has many similarities to viperids which includes vipers and rattlesnakes, they are actually an elapid.
Death Adders give birth to live young, rarely get to 1 metre long and their venom is neurotoxic affecting the nervous system making them deadly to humans, although humans are rarely bitten. Over a ten year period (1981–1991), 18 deaths from snake bite were reported and only one was caused by a Death Adder.
Death Adders don’t go actively hunting for their prey but instead lay in wait to ambush an unsuspecting passerby. They will hide underneath the sand or leaf litter and wait for vibrations along the ground to find prey. They leave the tip of their tail exposed as bait which they wriggle in a very fluid motion, almost like a worm, to attract a little mammal or bird. Death Adders strike at lightning speed in a similar manner to rattlesnakes which can strike in one fifth to one half of a second! They strike, inject their venom then withdraw to avoid being injured by the struggling prey. The footage caught in this video is from a captive Pilbara Death Adder at the Naturaliste Reptile Park in Carbunup WA, that usually only displays this behaviour when hungry!
If you have problems seeing the footage, please click here.
Death Adders are too slow to get away from even a slow human walk. Although it is probably the fastest of all Australian venomous snakes, when it comes to striking, they are reluctant to bite unless the threat is very close to them. But if they’re threatened they will flatten their body, holding it in a rigid coil and may strike repeatedly. They vary greatly in colouring from reddish through to grey and individual adders can change the reflectiveness of their skin according to the season which helps them hide in leaf litter so they can ambush prey effectively.
Click here for more information on the Naturaliste Reptile Park.
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