1. 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 snakes 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)

2. THE BULL ANT THE TIGER SNAKE
DESCRIPTION : red and orange abdomen / large eyes / long mandibles / 40 mm long
ABILITIES : sting / see very well / jump
HABITAT : urban areas / forests
DIET : nectar / plant juices / animal prey
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ dangerous ants in the world / +++ aggressive on the planet
BODY COUNT : 3 since 1936
FUN FACT : +++ old ant in the world
DESCRIPTION : yellow and orange-brown / large / 1.6 metre long
ABILITIES : bite / paralyse / climb very well
HABITAT : inhospitable watery environments
DIET : fish, frogs, lizards, birds and bats
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous snakes on Earth
BODY COUNT : 15 since 2016
FUN FACT : stay under water for 9 minutes.
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)

3. THE BLUE-RINGED OCTOPUSS
THE BULL SHARK
DESCRIPTION : eight arms / blue rings / paralysing saliva / 15 cm long
ABILITIES : bite / poison its prey
HABITAT : south of the Great Barrier Reef
DIET : crustaceans and fishes
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous animals in the sea
BODY COUNT : 0 since 1960
FUN FACT : 3 hearts, 9 brains and blue blood
DESCRIPTION : grey above and pale below / small eyes / 3.4 metre long
ABILITIES : bite / stay in freshwater
HABITAT : eastern coasts of Australia
DIET : fishes, dolphins, turtles and birds
DANGEROSITY : +++ dangerous shark in the world
BODY COUNT : 15 since 2000
FUN FACT : eat terrestrial mammals (cats, dogs, rats …)
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)

4. THE SYDNEY FUNNEL WEB SPIDER
THE SMOOTH TOADFISH
DESCRIPTION : shiny dark brown abdomen / sharp fangs / 1.5 to 3.5 cm long
ABILITIES : bite / attack the nervous system
HABITAT : urban areas / New South Wales
DIET : insects, small lizards and snails
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ aggressive spiders on Earth
BODY COUNT : 0 since 1981 (antivenom)
FUN FACT : survive 24 hours in water
DESCRIPTION : brown spots and brown bands / white belly / 16 cm long
ABILITIES : poison humans if eaten
HABITAT : south-eastern Australia
DIET : crustaceans and molluscs
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ poisonous fish in the sea
BODY COUNT : 0 since 1831
FUN FACT : 'friendly' appearance but toxic
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)

5. THE REEF STONEFISH THE TIGER SHARK
DESCRIPTION : look like a rock / dorsal fin spines / 35 cm long
ABILITIES : inject a highly toxic venom /
strike with incredible speed
HABITAT : the Great Barrier Reef
DIET : fishes and crustacea
DANGEROSITY : +++ venomous fish on Earth
BODY COUNT : 0 since 1790 (antivenom)
FUN FACT : be superbly camouflaged
DESCRIPTION : dark stripes on its body /
6 metres long
ABILITIES : see and smell very well
HABITAT : coastal, tropical marine waters
DIET : dolphins, birds, turtles and fishes
DANGEROSITY : (second) +++ dangerous sharks in the sea
BODY COUNT : 4 since January 2019
FUN FACT : eat indigestible objects like
number plates, cans or tires.
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)

6. THE YELLOW-BELLIED SNAKE
THE INLAND TAIPAN
DESCRIPTION : yellow underbelly and brown back / around 1 metre long
ABILITIES : bite / swim backwards
HABITAT : Pacific and Indian Oceans
DIET : only fish
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous snakes on Earth
BODY COUNT : 0 in Australia (antivenom)
FUN FACT : move up to 1 metre per second
DESCRIPTION : rectangular-shaped head /
large eyes with a very dark iris / 2 m long
ABILITIES : strike multiple times in the same attack
HABITAT : semi-arid regions of east Australia
DIET : rats and mice
DANGEROSITY : +++ toxic snake in the world/
+++ dangerous snake in the world
BODY COUNT : 0 in Australia (antivenom)
FUN FACT : change colour seasonally
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)

7. THE IRUKANDJI JELLYFISH
THE CONE SHELL
DESCRIPTION : four tentacles / 1 cm - 2 cm bell (diameter) / up to 1 m tentacles
ABILITIES : fire stingers (dards) to inject venom
HABITAT : along the Great Barrier Reef
DIET : little fish and small organisms
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ toxic animal in the sea
BODY COUNT : 2 deaths since 1883
FUN FACT : difficult to see in the water
DESCRIPTION : 10 to 15 cm long /
cone-shaped shell with a muscular foot
ABILITIES : sting / immobilise its victim
HABITAT : tropical and subtropical seas
DIET : snails, worms and small fish
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous sea snails in the world
BODY COUNT : 0 in Australia
FUN FACT : deliver a venomous harpoon from its mouth
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)

8. THE BLUEBOTTLE THE COMMON DEATH ADDER
DESCRIPTION : triangular-shaped head / 1 m long
ABILITIES : hide by covering itself with leaves
HABITAT : eastern and coastal southern Australia
DIET : frogs, lizards and birds
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ venomous snakes in the world
BODY COUNT : 2 deaths since 1930
FUN FACT : a master of camouflage
DESCRIPTION : blue / 2 cm to 15 cm long
ABILITIES : inject powerful venom into its prey
HABITAT : eastern coast of Australia
DIET : molluscs and small crustaceans
DANGEROSITY : (one of) +++ toxic jellyfish in the world
BODY COUNT : 0 in Australia
FUN FACT : specialised tentacles (for stinging, capturing, eating, reproducing)
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)
by Cyril Dussuchaud (académie de Limoges)

9. SOURCES