Acanthophis antarcticus
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The common death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) is a species of death adder native to Australia. It is one of the most venomous land snakes in Australia and globally. While it remains widespread (unlike related species), it is facing increased threat from the ongoing Australian cane toad invasion.
The common death adder was first described in 1802. The common death adder feeds on frogs, lizards and birds and, unlike most Australian venomous snakes that actively search for prey, this snake sits in one place and waits for prey to come to it.
The common death adder has a broad flattened, triangular head and a thick body with bands of red, brown and black with a grey, cream or pink belly. It's known to reach a maximum body length of 70–100 centimetres (2.3–3.3 ft). Unlike the common or European adder (Vipera berus), the common death adder is a member of the snake family Elapidae, rather than the family Viperidae, which are not found in Australia.
The common death adder occurs over much of eastern and coastal southern Australia – Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. It is more scarce in the Northern Territory, Western... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prague Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 2 | Skansen | 🇸🇪 Sweden | |
| 3 | Australia Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Zoo Pilsen | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 5 | Alice Springs Desert Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Toledo Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Melbourne Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Tierpark Hagenbeck | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 12 | Sydney Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Adelaide Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Reptile Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Australian Reptile Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Symbio Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 17 | Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 18 | Sea Life Sydney Aquarium | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 19 | Universeum | 🇸🇪 Sweden | |
| 20 | Wild Life Sydney | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 21 | National Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 22 | Baltic Sea Science Center | 🇸🇪 Sweden | |
| 23 | Birdworld Kuranda | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 24 | Kuranda Koala Gardens | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 25 | Rákosův pavilon | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 26 | Velemlokárium | 🇨🇿 Czechia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Death Adder sighting in Blue Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 26th most-seen of the 44 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–February and October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Death Adder in Blue Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to July, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Death Adder sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Common Death Adder sightings, Blue Mountains National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Booderee National Park (Australia, about 20%).
Same family: Elapidae
The closest relatives of the Common Death Adder that you can see in Blue Mountains National Park (family Elapidae, Elapid Snakes) are Red-bellied Black Snake (about 30%), Highlands Copperhead (about 30%) and Eastern Tiger Snake (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Death Adder is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Blue Mountains National Park (28 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
