THE COASTAL TAIPAN DESCRIPTION : reddish-brown, dark grey or black / up to 3 metres long ABILITIES : strike very fast / see very well HABITAT : tropical coastal regions of Australia DIET : rats, mice and various species of birds DANGEROSITY : (third) +++ venomous snake in the world BODY COUNT : 3 since 2010 FUN FACT : not a snake to back away from a surprise encounter by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) THE BULL ANT THE TIGER SNAKE DESCRIPTION : red and orange abdomen / DESCRIPTION : yellow and orange-brown / large eyes / long mandibles / 40 mm long large / 1.6 metre long ABILITIES : sting / see very well / jump ABILITIES : bite / paralyse / climb very well HABITAT : urban areas / forests HABITAT : inhospitable watery environments DIET : nectar / plant juices / animal prey DIET : fish, frogs, lizards, birds and bats DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ dangerous ants DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous in the world / +++ aggressive on the planet snakes on Earth BODY COUNT : 3 since 1936 BODY COUNT : 15 since 2016 FUN FACT : +++ old ant in the world FUN FACT : stay under water for 9 minutes. by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) THE BLUE-RINGED OCTOPUSS THE BULL SHARK DESCRIPTION : eight arms / blue rings / DESCRIPTION : grey above and pale below / paralysing saliva / 15 cm long small eyes / 3.4 metre long ABILITIES : bite / poison its prey ABILITIES : bite / stay in freshwater HABITAT : south of the Great Barrier Reef HABITAT : eastern coasts of Australia DIET : crustaceans and fishes DIET : fishes, dolphins, turtles and birds DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous DANGEROSITY : +++ dangerous shark in the animals in the sea world BODY COUNT : 0 since 1960 BODY COUNT : 15 since 2000 FUN FACT : 3 hearts, 9 brains and blue blood FUN FACT : eat terrestrial mammals (cats, dogs, rats …) by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) THE SYDNEY FUNNEL WEB SPIDER THE SMOOTH TOADFISH DESCRIPTION : shiny dark brown abdomen / DESCRIPTION : brown spots and brown sharp fangs / 1.5 to 3.5 cm long bands / white belly / 16 cm long ABILITIES : bite / attack the nervous system ABILITIES : poison humans if eaten HABITAT : urban areas / New South Wales HABITAT : south-eastern Australia DIET : insects, small lizards and snails DIET : crustaceans and molluscs DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ aggressive DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ poisonous fish spiders on Earth in the sea BODY COUNT : 0 since 1981 (antivenom) BODY COUNT : 0 since 1831 FUN FACT : survive 24 hours in water FUN FACT : 'friendly' appearance but toxic by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) THE REEF STONEFISH THE TIGER SHARK DESCRIPTION : look like a rock / dorsal fin DESCRIPTION : dark stripes on its body / spines / 35 cm long 6 metres long ABILITIES : inject a highly toxic venom / ABILITIES : see and smell very well strike with incredible speed HABITAT : coastal, tropical marine waters HABITAT : the Great Barrier Reef DIET : dolphins, birds, turtles and fishes DIET : fishes and crustacea DANGEROSITY : (second) +++ dangerous DANGEROSITY : +++ venomous fish on Earth sharks in the sea BODY COUNT : 0 since 1790 (antivenom) BODY COUNT : 4 since January 2019 FUN FACT : be superbly camouflaged FUN FACT : eat indigestible objects like number plates, cans or tires. by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) THE YELLOW-BELLIED SNAKE THE INLAND TAIPAN DESCRIPTION : yellow underbelly and brown DESCRIPTION : rectangular-shaped head / back / around 1 metre long large eyes with a very dark iris / 2 m long ABILITIES : bite / swim backwards ABILITIES : strike multiple times in the same attack HABITAT : Pacific and Indian Oceans HABITAT : semi-arid regions of east Australia DIET : only fish DIET : rats and mice DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous DANGEROSITY : +++ toxic snake in the world/ snakes on Earth +++ dangerous snake in the world BODY COUNT : 0 in Australia (antivenom) BODY COUNT : 0 in Australia (antivenom) FUN FACT : move up to 1 metre per second FUN FACT : change colour seasonally by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) THE IRUKANDJI JELLYFISH THE CONE SHELL DESCRIPTION : four tentacles / 1 cm - 2 cm DESCRIPTION : 10 to 15 cm long / bell (diameter) / up to 1 m tentacles cone-shaped shell with a muscular foot ABILITIES : fire stingers (dards) to inject venom ABILITIES : sting / immobilise its victim HABITAT : along the Great Barrier Reef HABITAT : tropical and subtropical seas DIET : little fish and small organisms DIET : snails, worms and small fish DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ toxic animals in DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous sea the sea snails in the world BODY COUNT : 2 deaths since 1883 BODY COUNT : 0 in Australia FUN FACT : difficult to see in the water FUN FACT : deliver a venomous harpoon from its mouth by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) THE COMMON DEATH ADDER THE BLUEBOTTLE DESCRIPTION : triangular-shaped head / 1 m long DESCRIPTION : blue / 2 cm to 15 cm long ABILITIES : hide by covering itself with leaves ABILITIES : inject powerful venom into its prey HABITAT : eastern and coastal southern Australia HABITAT : eastern coast of Australia DIET : frogs, lizards and birds DIET : molluscs and small crustaceans DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ toxic jellyfish in snakes in the world the world BODY COUNT : 2 deaths since 1930 BODY COUNT : 0 in Australia FUN FACT : a master of camouflage FUN FACT : specialised tentacles (for stinging, capturing, eating, reproducing) by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges) SOURCES https://australianmuseum.net.au/ https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_snake_bites_in_Australia .