Taipan
Taipans are large (up to 3 metres in length), fast, highly venomous Australian snakes, believed to have the most toxic venom of any species worldwide. Three species are recognized - the widespread Coastal Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) and the less common Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) and a species native to the southern coast of Papua New Guinea (Oxyuranus canni). Their diet consists primarly of small rodents, especially rats.
The coastal taipan is usually pale to dark brown in color fading to a lateral cream color although juveniles are lighter in color. The Papaun taipan is black or greyish-brown in color with a red or orange stripe on the posterior.
