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Quiz about Australias Vicious Vipers
Quiz about Australias Vicious Vipers

Australia's Vicious Vipers! Trivia Quiz


Can you pick Australia's Top Ten most venomous snakes, as ranked by Queensland Museum staff, from the following clues and the multiple choice answers?

A multiple-choice quiz by Engadine. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
Engadine
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
109,959
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
4069
Last 3 plays: Guest 173 (1/10), Guest 122 (10/10), Guest 110 (8/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. At a ranking of 10, this snake grows to a length of 1m and is a dull green-grey colour. Found in north eastern Queensland, Fraser Island and south eastern Queensland through to New South Wales, its venom is
strongly neurotoxic.
Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. At a ranking of 9, this snake is found only in the east, from southern Cape York Peninsula through Queensland and down into Victoria. With a broad head and a heavy, black or very dark brown body, it averages 1m in length. This snake is very placid but its venom is highly toxic! Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. At a ranking of 8, this quite common 'colourful' snake is found in the south and east of Australia. It has a narrow head and a heavy, blue-black body up to 2m in length. It is a reluctant attacker but if bitten, a small child could be fatally poisoned. Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. At a ranking of 7, this 'striking' snake has a ferocious temper but rarely comes in contact with humans. Inhabiting most of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia, western Queensland and New South Wales, juveniles are almost as toxic as adults in this species! With a narrow head and slender body the average length of this snake is 1.4m. Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. At a ranking of 6, this rather small snake, at a length of only 75cm, has a placid nature, which makes it all the more dangerous! It does not slither away from the approach of a human and when stood upon strikes with lightening speed and efficiency! It has a wide head with a flat, blunt snout and a fat body that tapers to a very thin tail. Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. At a ranking of 5, this snake grows up to 3m in length. A heavy built snake with a broad head it varies in colour through brown to olive-green, with a creamy belly. Found in eucalypt forests and treeless plains in the drier areas of almost all of Australia, except the south coast and Tasmania, it is active by day and by night! Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. At a ranking of 4, this snake inhabits over half of the Australian continent, mostly the eastern states and some inland areas of the Northern Territory and South Australia. With a narrow head and slender, grey, brown, orange or nearly black body this snake averages 1.4m in length. Known as the 'false cobra' because of its attacking stance this snake has relatively small fangs and a low output of venom. Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. At a rating of 3, this somewhat broad-headed snake is up to 1.5m long with an olive (green/brown) colouring. Found in Tasmania, south eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, south-west Western Australia and south western South Australia, it is quite common. Active by day, this 'vicious viper' is nocturnal in warmer weather. Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. At a rating of 2, this snake inhabits the coastal fringes of Queensland (and into northern New South Wales), north western Western Australia and the northern coast of the Northern Territory. It has an angular brow above a reddish eye and a body measuring up to 2.9m! This snake has been responsible for many human deaths! Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. At a rating of 1, this snake is not that common in Australia, inhabiting only far western Queensland and a few 'corners' of South Australia. It measures up to 2m in length and has a glossy black head. Active by day and eating mostly native rats and mice, this snake is potentially very dangerous, and has been responsible for many severe envenomations! Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 26 2024 : Guest 173: 1/10
Mar 13 2024 : Guest 122: 10/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. At a ranking of 10, this snake grows to a length of 1m and is a dull green-grey colour. Found in north eastern Queensland, Fraser Island and south eastern Queensland through to New South Wales, its venom is strongly neurotoxic.

Answer: Small-eyed Snake

The Small-eyed Snake is common and measures up to 1.0m in length with a glossy dark grey to black back and a cream to pink belly with grey spots or blotches. Found in rainforests, eucalypt forests and grazing land through eastern Australia, from southern Cape York Peninsula, Queensland and Victoria.

It is active at night, eating small skinks, dragons, snakes and frogs. This snake has been responsible for a human fatality!
2. At a ranking of 9, this snake is found only in the east, from southern Cape York Peninsula through Queensland and down into Victoria. With a broad head and a heavy, black or very dark brown body, it averages 1m in length. This snake is very placid but its venom is highly toxic!

Answer: Rough-scaled Snake

The Rough-scaled Snake is sometimes confused with Tiger Snakes, but Tiger Snakes have smooth scales. This snake inhabits rainforests, heaths, pastures and regenerated forests and is quite common, being active both day and night. It gives birth to live young, around 16cm long! It preys on frogs, lizards, small mammals and birds.

It is potentially dangerous and responsible for at least one human death and several severe envenomations!
3. At a ranking of 8, this quite common 'colourful' snake is found in the south and east of Australia. It has a narrow head and a heavy, blue-black body up to 2m in length. It is a reluctant attacker but if bitten, a small child could be fatally poisoned.

Answer: Red-bellied Black Snake

The Red-bellied Black Snake is one of two black snakes in Australia, the other being the Blue-bellied Black. Neither actually has a coloured 'belly', the redness on a Red-bellied Black is actually seen on its flanks and in the north, the flanks are pink or cream.

They inhabit coastal forests and inland river areas. Blue-bellieds are also at home in grasslands. They hunt during the day except when it's really hot, eating small mammals, lizards, frogs and other snakes along with the occasional fish or eel.
4. At a ranking of 7, this 'striking' snake has a ferocious temper but rarely comes in contact with humans. Inhabiting most of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia, western Queensland and New South Wales, juveniles are almost as toxic as adults in this species! With a narrow head and slender body the average length of this snake is 1.4m.

Answer: Gwardar

The Gwardar is also known as the Western Brown Snake or the Collared Brown Snake. It inhabits deserts, tropical woodlands and forests, hunting by day in the south and by night in the north. It preys mainly on mice and lizards. The Gwardar has a variable appearance, some have dark bands on a yellow body and others have a grey, cream or orange body with darker blotches.
5. At a ranking of 6, this rather small snake, at a length of only 75cm, has a placid nature, which makes it all the more dangerous! It does not slither away from the approach of a human and when stood upon strikes with lightening speed and efficiency! It has a wide head with a flat, blunt snout and a fat body that tapers to a very thin tail.

Answer: Death Adder

The Death Adder inhabits eastern Australia (except the far north and south) and southern South and Western Australia. It varies widely in colour from light grey to reddish brown, with dark 'bands' and a grey or cream belly with pink or brown blotches. It preys on small rodents, lizards and birds and is active mostly at night.
6. At a ranking of 5, this snake grows up to 3m in length. A heavy built snake with a broad head it varies in colour through brown to olive-green, with a creamy belly. Found in eucalypt forests and treeless plains in the drier areas of almost all of Australia, except the south coast and Tasmania, it is active by day and by night!

Answer: Mulga Snake

The Mulga Snake was once known as the King Brown Snake, but its venom is very different from that of brown snakes and mistaken identity caused many deaths in Australia in the past, leading to the eventual development of Black Snake antivenom. Mulga Snakes live on rodents, lizards, birds and other snakes whilst inhabiting rabbit or goanna burrows or sheltering beneath fallen logs. Active during the day in southern areas, in the northern tropics they are nocturnal hunters. The Mulga Snake has the highest venom yield of all of Australia's venomous snakes, its venom is not the most toxic but affects the muscles, causing paralysis!
7. At a ranking of 4, this snake inhabits over half of the Australian continent, mostly the eastern states and some inland areas of the Northern Territory and South Australia. With a narrow head and slender, grey, brown, orange or nearly black body this snake averages 1.4m in length. Known as the 'false cobra' because of its attacking stance this snake has relatively small fangs and a low output of venom.

Answer: Eastern Brown Snake

The Eastern Brown Snake has the second most toxic venom out of Australia's most venomous snakes, one part of its venom is the most potent neurotoxin known in any land snake! Inhabiting rocks, hollow logs and burrows of other animals in dry scrubland and damp coastal and inland forests, the Eastern Brown Snake hunts mice and lizards by day.

This snake is the leading cause of serious snakebite in Queensland and is second only to the Tiger Snake in all of the south east with a fast acting venom that causes stomach pain, vomiting and dizziness within minutes!
8. At a rating of 3, this somewhat broad-headed snake is up to 1.5m long with an olive (green/brown) colouring. Found in Tasmania, south eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, south-west Western Australia and south western South Australia, it is quite common. Active by day, this 'vicious viper' is nocturnal in warmer weather.

Answer: Tiger Snake

The Tiger Snake inhabits mainly moist areas including rainforests, heaths, open forests and floodplains. Its young are born live, with an average 'newborn' length of 19cm. It preys on frogs, other reptiles, birds and mammals. Its venom is strongly neurotoxic and haemotoxic, potentially very dangerous! Yet another Aussie snake responsible for many human deaths! As it inhabits some of the most populated areas of Australia the Tiger Snake is more likely than most to be trodden on and to bite!
9. At a rating of 2, this snake inhabits the coastal fringes of Queensland (and into northern New South Wales), north western Western Australia and the northern coast of the Northern Territory. It has an angular brow above a reddish eye and a body measuring up to 2.9m! This snake has been responsible for many human deaths!

Answer: Coastal Taipan

The Coastal Taipan has strongly neurotoxic venom which is the third most toxic land snake venom in the world! This snake inhabits grassy, tropical woodland, open forests, grassy coastal dunes (including Fraser Island) and cane fields, preying on rats, mice, birds and bandicoots. It is mainly active by day and at dusk except in the hottest weather when it hunts at night.
10. At a rating of 1, this snake is not that common in Australia, inhabiting only far western Queensland and a few 'corners' of South Australia. It measures up to 2m in length and has a glossy black head. Active by day and eating mostly native rats and mice, this snake is potentially very dangerous, and has been responsible for many severe envenomations!

Answer: Western Taipan

The Western Taipain has strongly neurotoxic venom, the most toxic land snake venom known (about 3 times as toxic as that of the Coastal Taipan). The Taipan is easily angered and if cornered will attack by hurling itself at its victim and delivering a quick succession of bites.

The Taipan antivenom was the last of the snakebite antidotes to be developed in Australia with virtually nothing known until the late 1950s.
Source: Author Engadine

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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