Also known as Mainland Tiger Snake, Tasmanian Tiger Snake, Chappell Island Tiger Snake
Tiger snakes are heavy-bodied elapids renowned for flattening their necks into a cobra-like hood when cornered or agitated. They are skilled swimmers and active hunters, frequently prowling marshlands, riverbanks, and coastal dunes during warm daylight hours. Females reproduce via viviparity, giving birth to litters of up to thirty or more live young in late summer.
Diet & preyStriped Marsh Frog, House Mouse, Common Garden Skink
Predators
Laughing Kookaburra
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Lace Monitor
ThreatsWetland drainage, urban expansion, road mortality, and habitat degradation.
HabitatsWetlands, marshes, riparian corridors, coastal heaths, and damp pasturelands.
Life span10–15 years in the wild.
Classification
FamilyElapidae
SpeciesNotechis scutatus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskVery high
Low
Moderate
High
Very high
Why interaction risk is very high
Possesses potent neurotoxic and coagulant venom; keep several meters away and never attempt to handle.
Why it is dangerous
Venom delivers a lethal cocktail of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurotoxins, myotoxins, and procoagulants, causing rapid paralysis, muscle breakdown, and severe coagulopathy.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Look for a stout body with alternating dark and yellow-cream bands, though uniform olive, brown, or jet-black morphs also occur.
What to do
Stop moving immediately if surprised, give the snake an unobstructed escape path, and never corner, prod, or try to kill it.
Responsible observation
Maintain distance: Stand still if encountered suddenly and allow the snake plenty of room to retreat.
Wear heavy footwear: Use tall leather boots and loose long trousers when walking near wetlands or tall grass.
Clear yard cover: Keep grass short and remove sheet metal or debris to deter them from settling near homes.
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