8- Lacey, the dog
Lacey was just a one-year-old pup when she was bitten by an inland taipan in the suburbs
of Mackay, in Queensland, Australia. The dog’s owner picked it up immediately and hurried
to the Northern Beaches Vet Hospital. They were received by Dr. Paul McGeown, who expected
he’d have to put down the pet. In his 40 years of tending to animals, he’d never
seen a dog survive the bite of this deadly species. Lacey arrived in a comatose state
but could breathe on her own, which was a good sign. After being given a dose of antivenom
and just four days of hospitalization, Lacey managed to make a full recovery. Dr. McGeown
was stunned since the last puppy he’d attended to with the same symptoms had died within
15 minutes. Lacey returned to her family with no further health complications.
What is it?
The inland taipan is a deadly venomous snake, first discovered back in 1879. Not only is
it considered the world’s most venomous snake, but the toxins it produces are adapted
to target warm-blooded species. The venom injected through a single bite would be enough
to kill over 100 human beings. This species relies heavily on its agile movements and
accuracy. It’s able to bite several times during a single attack, injecting its venom
with each strike. It’s not to be confused with the far more aggressive but less lethal
coastal taipan. Unlike its close relative, this snake tends to be reclusive and escapes
sudden encounters. It might be somewhat surprising that it’s also known as the ferocious snake.
This is due to its venom and not its temperament, which can be docile when adequately handled.
When it does strike, however, the results are almost universally lethal.
7-John Robinson
John Robinson was a friend of Rob Bedl, better known as “The Barefoot Bushman”. He was
an avid snake collector and had a special permit to keep an inland taipan specimen on
display. As Robinson was cleaning the serpent’s cage in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, the inland
taipan grew restless and bit his hand. Being a snake expert, the man knew the risks such
an attack entailed. However, he refused the necessary antivenom, enduring severe pain,
and countless symptoms. Robinson managed to survive, but not without considerable consequences.
The snake handler suffered severe muscle and heart damage, and never fully recovered from
the attack. He had to deal with lifelong complications after the incident.
Where is it located?
The inland taipan is native to Australia, in particular to the semi-arid region between
Queensland and Coober Pedy. Since it dwells in extremely dry and remote areas, it’s
rarely encountered by humans in the wild. It’s usually dark-colored, with its skin
changing from dark hues to brown-green tones between seasons. This snake is usually around
5ft 9ins long, but can reach up to 8ft 2ins! That’s the average height of a fully grown
moose. In captivity, the inland taipan can live up to 15 years. The oldest known specimen
managed to survive for 20 years. The inland taipan often seeks to escape the
intense Australian heat by finding shelter in fissures on the ground, sinkholes, and
other animals’ abandoned burrows. It preys on small mammals, mainly rodents. It strikes
by cornering its victim and then biting it several times in a row. The venom is fast
acting and the attack occurs with blinding speed, meaning that prey rarely has a chance
to avoid it.
6-Effects of taipan venom in human blood
Wild animal expert, Graham Dinkelman decided to run an experiment on his YouTube page.
He acquired a sample of inland taipan venom, wanting to show his audience the effects it
had on human blood. Dinkelman poured a few drops of venom into a vial of his own blood.
He shook it to make sure it mixed and then waited. Within five minutes, Dinkelman’s
blood had solidified. He turned the vial upside down, and it remained stuck inside the tube,
having completely clotted. The wild-animal expert remarked it looked just like jelly.
This was an eerie experiment that showcased the deadly effects that inland taipan venom
would have when injected into an actual human being.
5-Ricky Harvey
Ricky Harvey enjoyed collecting dangerous snakes. Among his pets, he had acquired an
inland taipan. After deciding to sell some of his animals, Harvey was placing several
specimens in their bags. Mishandling the taipan, he suddenly felt a sharp bite on his thumb.
Instead of panicking, Harvey remained calm and collected, knowing what steps to follow.
This was arguably the main reason he’s one of the few human beings to survive such an
attack. He was rushed to the hospital and given the necessary doses of antivenom. He
remained several days in the Intensive Care Unit of the Ballarat Base Hospital. Harvey
was released when the effects of the venom finally wore off. He praised the hospital’s
staff for acting quickly and supporting him throughout the process.
How will it kill you?
Though in the wild this snake will only feed on mammals, it eats small chicks in captivity.
Many handlers describe the inland taipan as a placid animal to work with, but it’s unwise
to make it feel threatened or cornered. When unable to escape, it’ll strike violently,
repeatedly biting its victim. This allows the venom to reach deeper and act faster.
Envenomation occurs with virtually every attack. This species can inject from 44 mg to 110
mg. This is a far smaller dose than that of the Indian cobra, for instance, that can release
up to 610 mg. Its venom, however, is several times as toxic even in much smaller doses.
When bitten by the inland taipan, the first symptoms are local pain as well as vomiting,
diarrhea, nausea, and convulsions. In a short period of time, the effects of the attack
steadily become more severe. Kidney failure, paralysis, cerebral hemorrhage, and blood
coagulation eventually lead to death if the victim is left untreated.
The entire process can last less than 45 minutes.
4-Nathan Chetcuti
Nathan Chetcuti was just 20-years-old when he suffered a bite from the world’s deadliest
snake. He owned a popular YouTube channel, featuring several reptiles he kept as pets.
One of his snakes was an inland taipan named Fang. Chetcuti admitted being bitten had been
his fault. He decided to feed the snakes the same day he cleaned their cages. This sent
Fang into a feeding frenzy, smelling its prey close by. The taipan bit Chetcuti on his hand.
The 20-year-old began feeling nauseous and drowsy. Fortunately, he had a friend close
by who called an ambulance right away. He was rushed to Brisbane’s Redcliffe Hospital
and was immediately treated. Chetcuti remained in a critical state in the hospital’s intensive
care unit. He ended up making a full recovery and planned on keeping Fang, as well as the
rest of his pets.
3-Unnamed 17-year-old
A deadly inland taipan bit an unnamed 17-year-old in Hunter Valley. This attack left authorities
baffled, as this area is more than 620 miles away from the snake’s natural habitat. The
teenager got to the ER all by himself, with a bleeding wound on his left hand. He managed
to take the snake with him, which helped hospital staff quickly provide the appropriate antivenom.
The boy was transferred the next morning to the Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle, in
critical condition. Since only people with specific licenses can keep this type of snake
as a pet, it’s unknown how the teenager got into contact with the taipan outside of
its natural habitat. It’s possible it was an illegal pet, and authorities planned to
investigate these suspicions. The patient’s condition eventually improved,
and he managed to survive the attack.
How to survive?
It’s vital to inject the inland taipan’s victim with antivenom immediately. Unless
taken to a hospital, chances of survival are meager, as deeply-set paralysis usually means
the patient won’t be able to breathe without being intubated. People bitten by this snake
have been known to remain on ventilator support for a week or even longer. While transporting
the victim to the ER, keeping the affected area at a lower level than their heart will
buy them valuable time. It’s important to immobilize the limb with crepe bandages as
well as a splint and keep the victim from moving around. Applying ice or trying to suck
out the venom is not recommended. At least ten vials of antivenom will be injected to
counteract the snake’s venom. Unless the patient receives medical attention within
the first hour of being bitten, survival is unlikely.
2-Andrew Vaughan
Andrew Vaughan was a worker employed by Ergon Energy and tasked with checking power lines
near Yeppoon. Two other employees remained nearby, and they communicated via radio as
they conducted maintenance work. His coworkers began to worry after Vaughan stopped answering
their calls. He was reported missing, and soon a search party was deployed. Even though
he was found merely 3 hours later, it was already too late. Vaughan’s corpse was discovered,
and revival attempts were made, but they proved ineffective. He was 57 years old at the time
of his death. An autopsy was conducted, and it was determined that Vaughan died from an
inland taipan bite. The doctors conducting the examination believed he died within minutes
of the attack, as the venom had rendered him unable to seek aid.
1-Scott Grant
Back in 2013, Scott Grant was performing for the annual building union’s picnic in Victoria.
He was a reptile handler and had a surprise for the 300 people in the audience. It involved
an inland taipan, the world’s deadliest snake. Everything was going well until he
attempted to put his pet back in its bag. The taipan seemed stressed, and it lashed
at Grant. Being an expert, Grant quickly tied a bandage around his arm, but it didn’t
help his condition. He started convulsing and was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Fortunately, once there, his condition was stabilized by doctors, and antivenom was administered.
Only a small amount of venom had actually entered his bloodstream, an aspect that helped
with his recovery. He spent a week in the ICU and was eventually released. Grant assured
the press he was eager to go back to his job and had no hard feelings towards the snake
that bit him.
Thanks for watching! Would you rather get bitten by an inland taipan, or stuck in the
middle of the ocean with nothing but a life vest on? Let us know in the comments section
below!