The DU Lounge

Don’t take any chances!


3 Red-bellied black snake
red-bellied black snake face
Source: public domain
Maximum length: 254cm.

A semi-aquatic snake found in ponds, marshes, swamps and even manmade swimming pools. The red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) is found all over the east coast, appearing in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and a small portion of South Australia. This might be the single most commonly encountered snake by ordinary Australian people.

This species also has a less welcome record, as according to a survey from 2005 to 2015, the red-bellied black snake was responsible for 16% of Australian snakebites. Red-bellied black snake venom has strong anticoagulant properties, causing spontaneous bleeding. It contains the unique pseudexin, comprising 25% of the venom, and a neurotoxin called a-elapitoxin Ppr1.

Red-belly bites are also agonisingly painful, causing swelling, rotting flesh and redness. One of the freakiest symptoms is red-brown urine, due to myoglobin being released from assaulted muscle tissue.

Red-bellied black snakes are a highly adventurous species, as females can travel over 1km in 24 hours. They’re always investigating burrows for prey, or going on adventures into ponds to search for fish. Consequently, this snake is often encountered by ordinary east coast Australians, and that’s why it bites so many people.

Thankfully, this species rarely kills anyone, as the venom’s LD50 score is a comparatively weak 2.45mg. You also have a good chance of winning the snake roulette with this species, as only 70% of bites resulted in systemic envenomation in one study.