Eastern Brown Snake

The Eastern Brown Snake is a symbol of the Outback, as the rattlesnake was to the American West. Averaging at 2 metres long and extremely agile even for a snake, the species is an excellent hunter capable of taking down prey much larger than itself. It is perfectly capable of doing so thanks to carrying around the world's second most potent snake venom, almost always lethal without treatment for anything smaller than a rhinoceros. Fortunately, it is actually a quite timid species, preferring not to meddle too much in human affairs, and though they will defend their nests fiercely, humans don't look too appetising for them. Furthermore, they possess few natural defences against a load of lead Birdshot. Defanged brown snakes are a popular exotic pet, especially amongst criminals, who use them to scare their opponents during interrogation sessions.