You can close this window to return to the Photo page or click Back or Next to continue viewing in this "large photo" window.
Australia has by far the most poisonous snakes in the world.  But this isn't one of them.  This is an olive python wrapped around my neck.  What is less known is that Australia has pythons that grow up to 30'!!  I've talked to several people who have seen them up to 20' within a few miles of our home.  We have seen a few pythons in the wild but none bigger than this one - about 8'.  I also got a close look at an Eastern Brown snake on a walk one day - it's the second-most-poisonous snake in the world.  But an average of about one person a year is killed in Australia by snakes - much less than are killed by snakes in the US.  So, again, it's not as much of a worry as you might think.  Of course, Australia ALSO has the most poisonous spiders.  But no one has died from a spider in ten years.  So relax!