Coastal taipan attacks deadly but rare

What we know about Australia's third most venomous snake - the coastal taipan.

What we know about the deadly coastal taipan - the snake which has a Queensland toddler fighting for his life.

* it is the third most venomous snake in Australia, behind inland taipan and eastern brown, and among the sixth most deadly in the world.

* People rarely encounter the shy and elusive reptile as it's more likely to flee than bite

* professional Queensland snake catcher Wayne Cameron died after being bitten by a coastal taipan in April

* about 3000 snake bites are recorded in Australia each year but there has been a rise in the number of attacks in Queensland this year

(Sources: Sunshine Coast Snake Catcher, Snakes in the City - Snake Catchers Sydney)


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Source: AAP



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