Elapidae
Highlands Copperhead
VenomousAustrelaps ramsayi
The Highlands Copperhead (Austrelaps ramsayi) is a venomous snake in the Elapidae family, recorded in 1 country.
If you are bitten
This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Family
- Elapidae
- Danger
- high
About the Highlands Copperhead
The highland copperhead (Austrelaps ramsayi), also known as Ramsay's copperhead, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae endemic to Australia.
Taxonomy
Gerard Krefft described the highland copperhead in 1864 as Hoplocephalus ramsayi from a specimen collected in Braidwood, New South Wales. The specific name, ramsayi, is in honour of Edward Pierson Ramsay, who was an Australian ornithologist, herpetologist, and who collected the holotype specimen.
Description
Austrelaps ramsayi has an average total length (including tail) of 130 cm (51 inches). Variable in colour, ranging from pale to dark grey, through reddish-brown or chocolate brown to almost black above but always low gloss or matt sheen; noticeably enlarged lateral scales may be cream, yellow or reddish-brown (typically yellow paraventral scales bordered above by reddish-brown); while the supralabial (upper lip) scales are strongly barred, the pale, triangular lower front corner of each labial strongly contrasting with the remainder of the scale, which is dark brown. Belly cream to pale yellow or sometimes leaden-coloured.
Distribution and habitat
The highlands copperhead inhabits the Alpine regions of eastern Australia, and is common in the Southern Highlands of NSW, including Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale.
A. ramsayi is found in montane heath, woodland, sclerophyll forests, along water bodies, and in swampy areas with thick clumps of tussock grass.
Reproduction
Austrelaps ramsayi is ovoviviparous meaning the females give birth to live young, with the embryos developing inside eggs retained within the mother's body. Brood sizes range from 9 to 31 offspring per litter. This reproductive strategy provides added protection for the developing young until they are ready to be born.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Highlands Copperhead
- Is the Highlands Copperhead venomous?
- Yes. The Highlands Copperhead (Austrelaps ramsayi) is venomous and belongs to the Elapidae family (cobra, mamba, coral or sea snake). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
- Is the Highlands Copperhead poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Highlands Copperhead is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Highlands Copperhead dangerous?
- This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Where does the Highlands Copperhead live?
- The Highlands Copperhead has verified records in 1 country, including Australia. See the distribution section below for its full range.
If you are bitten by the Highlands Copperhead
Do
- Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
- Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
- Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
- Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
- Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
- Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
Do not
- Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
- Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
- Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
- Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.
First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.
Where it is found
More Elapidae snakes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
- OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards
- Squamata
- FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits
- Elapidae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Austrelaps
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Austrelaps ramsayi
Keep learning
- Are Snakes Dangerous? The Real Risk, in PerspectiveMost snakes are harmless and avoid people. Here is the honest picture of snakebite risk worldwide and how to lower your own.
- Snakebite First Aid: What to Do (and What Never to Do)A clear, CDC-based guide to snakebite first aid: the steps that help, the popular myths that hurt, and how to tell a serious bite from a minor one.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.