King brown snake
At the Detroit Zoo
The king brown snake can be found inside the Holden Reptile Conservation Center, located near the middle of the Detroit Zoo. There, visitors can learn about the 80 different species (and approximately 240 individuals) of reptiles at the Zoo, one-fifth of which are considered threatened or endangered in the wild.
Australia’s most common and widespread venomous snake, the king brown snake is a stocky species with a broad head, large eyes and rounded muzzle. The back of the snake is pale to mid-brown, reddish-brown or dark olive, becoming paler on the sides, while the underside is generally yellow, orange or pinkish. The scales are smooth and overlap each other, and those on the back may be marked with a black tip or black border. It has two grooved fangs in the front of its mouth, and some smaller, solid teeth further back.
The highly venomous king brown snake has the largest recorded venom output of any snake.