Acanthophis antarcticus (Common Death Adder)

The Death Adder is not often seen, as it is usually very well camouflaged amongst the leaf-litter, where it lies coiled up waiting in ambush for unsuspecting prey.  

They are relatively thick-bodied snakes with a broad, wedge-shaped head and rapidly tapering tail that ends in a distinctive short spine. Two distinct colour morphs of this species exist in the Greater Sydney Region, one being red and the other grey. Both forms are banded with darker shades of the background colour, although the edges of these bands are ragged helping it blend in perfectly with its background.