While out for a bike ride today we happened upon this copperhead snake who'd sadly met its end under a car wheel
Not being Australian born I had to look up the snake species (I'm assuming most Australians learn their snake species at school right?) to find out that it's a copperhead. Their venom is 'extremely' poisonous which I imagine means chance of death if untreated!
I was taken by the beautiful colours all shimmering and metallic looking down either side. Indeed it is well named as copperhead.
I also learnt while researching the method of producing antivenom. A horse is given initially very small doses of the snake venom so that it generates antibodies. Gradually the dose of venom is increased until the horse makes large amounts of the antibody, then its blood is harvested and the antibodies seperated for use as antivenom along with a large dose of antihistamine.
Excuse the black paint, I thought I'd spare you from the red gore!