As I said, however, this myth is partly true. Some species of snakes will actively “chase” human beings, such as the Central American bushmaster (Lachesis muta muta). An enormous and lethally venomous serpent, the bushmaster is well-known for this behavior.
Brown snakes hunt by actively looking for prey and searching in likely hiding places. They have good eyesight and once prey is detected they will give chase and subdue the prey using both venom and constriction.
One of the most effective ways to survive an encounter with a snake is to not engage. If you come across a snake in your path, walk away. If you can't turn and go the other direction, make sure to give the snake a wide berth as you circle around it. Remember that most snakes have no desire to be around people.
Unfortunately, the black mamba can move at about 7 mph and strike much, much faster. That means the snake moves about as fast as the average person jogs. A black mamba will chase a person down to kill them. However, their speed does make getting away from one that feels threatened a bit more difficult.
The take-away:
Most snakes are perfectly harmless, but whether they are or not, they have no interest in you. If they dart out at you, they are not trying to startle you; they're only trying to get to safety as quickly as possible. The fact that you might be in their path is coincidental.
Danger to humans
Like any snake the Taipan prefers to avoid conflict and will quietly slip away if given the chance, however if surprised or cornered it will ferociously defend itself.
Rule Number 1: Don't Try To Outrun A Snake
Not because your kid can't — they probably could! The very fastest snake, the Black Mamba, can slither at about 12 MPH, and a truly scared human (even one with short legs) could probably exceed that.
Before we get to the fun bit, we should note that black mambas are from Africa and inland taipans are from Australia. This means under natural circumstances, the two species would never meet.
Both venomous and nonvenomous snakes are extremely wary of humans and are not prone to strike. A bite is their last-ditch effort to avoid harm. Simply leaving a snake to do its job in the landscape is the best way to avoid a bad encounter.
Leave it alone. Snakes are generally shy and will not attack unless provoked, so it's best to leave them be.
Snakes recognize things by smell, so your snake needs to get comfortable around your scent. Try holding your hand about 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) away from your snake's head so it can smell you. If it gets into striking position, slowly move your hand out of the way. If your snake doesn't react, try moving your hand closer.
Introducing the most venomous snake in the world and epic predator of the Australian outback! The inland taipan is otherwise known as the fierce snake or small scaled snake. They can be marvelled at in our Robert's Reptile House, right here at Australia Zoo.
Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible. It will also flare out its iconic hood and emit a hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog. King cobras can reach 18 feet in length, making them the longest of all venomous snakes.
Common Death Adder (Acanthophis antarcticus)
The 'death' in this snake's name is not a bluff – the common death adder can deliver the fastest strike among all venomous snakes recorded in Australia. It is capable of causing human death within six hours after a bite.
The killer of the most people
The saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) may be the deadliest of all snakes, since scientists believe it to be responsible for more human deaths than all other snake species combined.
If there's a family of snakes you don't want to anger, it would be the vipers. While these snakes don't always have the most deadly bites, they have the most painful ones. Van Wallach of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology has had several viper bites; the worst one, he said, "came from an African bush viper.
The most common venomous snakebites are caused by the following snakes: Pit vipers. These include rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouth (water moccasin) snakes.
Some 100 Australian snakes are venomous, although only 12 are likely to inflict a wound that could kill you. The most dangerous snakes belong to the front-fanged group, which in New South Wales include the tiger snake, brown snake, death adder, mulga or king brown snake and a few species of sea snake.
South Australia
Sand dunes are common breeding grounds for snakes of this region. Most of the venomous tend to be in this area. This is because it receives large amounts of sun but at the same time allows for enough cover for protection.
Utilising their outstanding camouflage abilities, death adders will lie in wait for any unsuspecting prey that passes by, such as mammals, birds and reptiles. By wiggling the end of their tail, they entice prey in close enough for their rapid strike, the fastest of any Australian snake!
Consider Killing Snake with Lethal Trap
Obviously, lethal trap is one of the most effective and efficient ways of kill snakes. It is also among the safest and cheapest way as you can e3asily set up the trap without through any form of stress.
Some fun facts about the Black Mamba:
They are some of the world's fastest snakes and are capable of speeds of more than 12 miles (19 km) per hour and hence will be the one which can kill the fastest. In the wild, a black mamba can live for up to 11 years.
The mongoose is known for its ability to fight and kill venomous snakes, especially cobras. Their specialised acetylcholine receptors render them immune to venom. A mongoose and snake fights stops traffic in this video.