just out of its reach. Then
suddenly, instead of the tail, all
I had in my hand was skin – it
had slipped straight off. I had
my legs quite wide apart for
better balance, and the taipan
shot right between them. As it
was passing, some instinct
kicked in and I turned around
and caught its tail again as the
snake was disappearing in the
Guinea Grass - this time with a
firmer grip. It was my best
‘taipan act’ ever, and I was
quietly proud of myself!
I have also handled a good
number of crazy Eastern Brown
Snakes over the years; some
gave me the chills, but nothing
matches the king of Aussie
elapids. I have always been
relaxed while handling wild
taipans but I have never been
blasé. As with many other
species, if you were to handle
five taipans, you may think,
‘Oh, I’ve got it now’ - then
comes the sixth one and gives
you hell. Never underestimate
something that is capable of
killing you.
Although taipan-specific
antivenom is now available,
lack of education and distances
remain a problem in PNG. In
Australia, I have noticed in
recent years that there is a
somewhat relaxed attitude to
snake bites. Many snake
handlers appear to think that
since antivenom is available,
there is absolutely no chance of
a fatal bite. That is a dangerous
assumption, especially consider-
ing taipan antivenom cannot
repair existing damage to tissues, as it can only neutralise Above: the author extracts venom from a Coastal Taipan at a
zoological institution he once worked for.
venom still present in the patient’s body. Rapid and
Image courtesy Michael Cermak..
appropriate first aid, followed by medical attention with
minimum delay, is the key to survival. Better yet, don’t
get bitten!
Acknowledgements.
Big thanks to Dr David Williams for his comments and
the literature he provided. Thanks also to Shane Black for
sharing his not-so-glamorous experiences with taipan
bites.