Taipan, also called common taipan or coastal taipan, is a large, venomous (poisonous) snake found in Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and other nearby islands. The name taipan can also refer to a group of large, venomous snakes that includes the common taipan. This group of snakes is among the deadliest in the world. They feed largely on other reptiles and small mammals.
The common taipan can grow more than 10 feet (3 meters) in length, but most are less than 7 feet (2 meters) long. It is rich brown to almost black on top, and cream or yellow with orange spots underneath. The common taipan lives in New Guinea and in parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory in Australia. It lives in a variety of habitats, from coastal forests to the near-desert interior.
