Tiger Snake

The Tiger Snake is one of Australia's most dangerously venomous snakes — historically a major cause of snakebite deaths, and still capable of killing a person within hours without treatment. They are largely gone from metropolitan Sydney but remain present in the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands and the cooler, wetter parts of the Greater Sydney region. They are wetland specialists, closely tied to frogs and damp habitats, and they defend themselves more readily than most Sydney snakes.

The right response to finding one is to stop, back away slowly, keep pets and children clear, watch where the snake goes, and call a licensed reptile catcher. If anyone is bitten, treat it as a life-threatening emergency.